From time to time, new information keeps getting added to the functions and features of mobile phones. One such feature is TTY mode which is extremely useful for those who are totally/partially deaf or unable to hear.
This is the feature that you can find in your smartphone and it is quite useful in emergency cases especially for people with hearing or speech disabilities. So if you heard about this, but don’t know what it does? then in this article we will explain about the TTY mode meaning in detail and let you know about the use and importance.
TTY – A through-back – History
If you will check out the history, you will find out that landline phones were there for communication where one person listens and the other speaks, or vice versa. But, what if a person is deaf?
A deaf person needs something that can convey their message, especially to emergency services like police, medical, or any other support. So here, a typing-based device having a screen (shows the message of the other person) and alphabet keys like a typewriter is required, so a deaf person can easily type and send messages and get the desired services.
This special device is called a TTY device or TeleTypewriter, and by embedding it with a landline phone, text-based communication is established over the phone lines.
Now the sender will dial the phone number, and upon successful connection, the message will be typed and sent to the other person. On the other end, the person who will receive it will respond, and the message will be shown on the TTY device’s screen.
This way, a person who is deaf or has a hearing disability can use the TTY technology and communicate with others!
What is TTY mode?
The full form of TTY is Teletypewriter. It is an electronic device used by deaf and dumb people to communicate through text as we explained above. The TTY machine has a small keyboard and a screen or printer on which the text appears.
The TTY device is connected to a telephone line. When a person calls from TTY, he types his words on the keyboard. It is transmitted as a text signal and is displayed as text on the TTY device on the other side. The other person also answers in the same way.
TTY mode is a special mode of the phone in which the phone connects with the TTY device and provides the facility of text exchange. When TTY mode is activated, the phone connects wirelessly to the TTY device and converts the text signal into voice signal and the voice signal into text signal.
In this way, deaf and dumb people can easily communicate with others through text. TTY is a type of modem that can send data signals over an analog phone line. It allows two people to exchange text messages.
Most smartphones today have TTY mode and by activating it you can now connect tty device. So basically TTY mode is now a built in mode / feature that you can inside new smartphones and whenever need it can be enabled or disable in just 1 tap as we have explained below.
This technology has opened up the world for deaf and mute people. They no longer have to depend on a third person. They can express themselves and understand. TTY mode has given them self-reliance and dignity.
Use of TTY mode
The main purpose of TTY mode is to help those those who are deaf or hard of hearing. When a person calls from a TTY phone, text is transmitted instead of their voice. The recipient also responds through text. In this way both parties can easily communicate.
For example, if a deaf person wants to order from a restaurant, he can call the restaurant’s TTY number and place a takeout order through TTY mode. The restaurant will also respond via text.
The TTY mode setting turns the smartphone into a TTY device, hence in case of landline where you buy a special TTY device, in latest smartphones you don’t need to buy any special TTY device. The new cell phone has this feature built-in, and it turns the phone into a TTY device with just a few taps, as mentioned below.
You will have 3 modes and 1 option to disable it. Let’s first discuss the 3 modes of TTY that you get on a smartphone:
1. TTY Full: This mode means full text communication, where both the sender and receiver will communicate in text. The sender will write and send text, and the receiver will respond in text, which will be displayed in real-time on the sender’s mobile screen.
2. TTY VCO: This is Voice Carry Over mode and in this, the sender can send voice messages but will receive responses in text. An Example: If a person is deaf, they can use the phone’s mic to send voice messages, but the responses will be received in text in real-time, as shown below in the screenshot.
3. TTY HCO: This is Hearing Carry Over mode and the reverse of VCO. If the sender has a speech disability or dumb, then HCO mode will be most preferable. In this mode, messages are sent in text form while the responses are received in voice form.
Apart from that 1 last option you will get, and it is TTY disable. With this you can simply disable the TTY mode.
Setting up TTY mode
Most smartphones like Samsung, Redmi, Realme have TTY mode in the dial settings. You need to activate it by going to Settings > General > Accessibility > TTY mode (Tty full, HCO, VCO). After this, you have to connect the TTY device to your phone and you can avail the TTY service.
Here’s how to enable and disable TTY mode in smartphones. If you would like to know, then must read it.
Based on the Android version or iOS phone the location of TTY mode might be in different place, but the purpose of use is same and it works very well. Additionally, you can learn more from the Teletypewriter mode from the mobile manufacturer booklet.
Importance and Benefits
TTY mode is a very useful feature for deaf and hearing impaired people. Through this, they can easily communicate with others. This helps them to fulfill their needs and stay connected with the world.
There are many benefits of TTY mode:
- Easy communication: Deaf and hearing impaired people can easily communicate through text and get their job done.
- Self-reliance: They can fulfill their needs on their own and do not have to depend on anyone.
- Privacy: The discussion remains private and confidential as it is in the form of text. It would be one-to-one and no information will be leaked to other.
- Easy to record: You can record the conversation and revise it later.
Final Words
TTY mode is a very important feature that helps those people who are deaf or hard of hearing. It changes their world and gives them a new freedom. What seemed impossible for them earlier has now become possible. They can now communicate with anyone through text, be it a doctor or a bank employee.
It makes them self-reliant and enables them to fulfill their needs. Now they do not have to depend on anyone else. They can express themselves and explain. This increases their confidence and they can live life freely in society.
Therefore, it is very important to expand such facilities so that everyone can join the society. No one should be left behind. Every person has equal rights and everyone should benefit from technology. The government and private companies should make more efforts in this direction so that deaf and mute people can also be brought into the mainstream of society.
These facilities will benefit not only the deaf people but also the entire society. Only when everyone comes together, we will be able to create an inclusive and empowered society. That’s why it is very important to promote features like TTY mode and you must share it with others!.
