Sprint Selected as State of Kansas Telecommunications Relay Services Provider

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Dec. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprint (NYSE: S) has been selected by the Kansas Corporation Commission to provide Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) and Captioned Telephone (CapTel) service to the State, effective January 1, 2019.

The Kansas Relay Service is accessed by dialing 711 and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is a "relay" or service that enables those who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, and/or people with a speech disability to communicate with traditional telephone users through a specialized text telephone and third-party operator called a Relay Operator. All calls are completely confidential. 

"We are excited about working with the Kansas Corporation Commission and the consumers of Kansas Relay as we endeavor to improve the quality of life for all," said Mike Ellis, Global Vice President of Sprint Accessibility. "Sprint Accessibility provides an exciting array of accessible communication services for people who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing or who have a speech disability that are more empowering than ever."

"The Kansas Relay Service provides hearing and speech impaired Kansans with the ability to more easily communicate with family and friends, access services, and stay connected with their communities," said Shari Feist Albrecht, Chair of the Kansas Corporation Commission. "More than 9,000 calls per month are placed in Kansas using the Relay Service."

For more information about the Kansas Relay Service: www.kansasrelay.com.

About the Kansas Corporation Commission
The KCC was originally established in 1883 to regulate railroad activity. The KCC was one of the first state regulatory bodies in the nation. In 1911, the Kansas Legislature created a three member Public Utilities Commission to regulate telegraph and telephone companies, pipeline companies, common carriers, water, electric, gas, and all power companies with the exception of those owned by municipalities. The present regulatory body, the KCC, was established by the Legislature in 1933. Over the years, its jurisdiction was extended to include motor carriers, oil and gas conservation, and supervision of plugging abandoned wells to protect fresh and useable water from pollution.

About Sprint Accessibility
For 28 years, Sprint Accessibility has been a leader in the development of advanced Relay services.  As the telecommunications industry has evolved from corded, rotary dial phones to cordless home phones to mobile voice and data communicators, Sprint has been an innovator for consumers and businesses.  Sprint provides Relay services to 37 state customers (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), the U.S. Federal Government, and the Commonwealth of New Zealand.  As the largest provider of Relay services, Sprint is proud to serve our customers in the manner they deserve.  For more information on Sprint Accessibility's suite of accessibility services, please visit: www.sprint.com/accessibility or www.twitter.com/sprintaccess.

About Sprint
Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things they care about most.  Sprint served 54.5 million connections as of Sept. 30, 2018, and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone.  Today, Sprint's legacy of innovation and service continues with an increased investment to dramatically improve coverage, reliability, and speed across its nationwide network and commitment to launching the first 5G mobile network in the U.S.  You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

SOURCE Sprint

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