AURORA, Neb., April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hamilton Relay announced today that they have been selected by the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) to provide Captioned Telephone (CapTel®) services in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The service makes it possible for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to make and receive telephone calls using captioned telephone technology, ensuring call clarity for both parties. Hamilton began providing Captioned Telephone Service in Virginia on April 1, 2011.

Captioned Telephone is similar to closed captioning on television, in that it allows users to "see what they say" by reading captions of their telephone conversations through the use of a CapTel phone. Behind the scenes, specially trained operators at the Captioning Center use advanced voice recognition technology to convert everything that's said by the standard phone user into captions that appear on the large, bright display screen built in to the CapTel phone. Residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia can purchase a CapTel phone or qualify to obtain one at no cost through VDDHH. Captions are available in both English and Spanish.

"We are thrilled to provide this service to the residents of Virginia who may benefit from Hamilton's Captioned Telephone service," said Dixie Ziegler, vice president of Hamilton Relay. "Hamilton CapTel allows for smoother telephone communication between individuals who are hard of hearing and those who are hearing. The service can make an incredible difference in the relationships between CapTel users and their family, business associates, and friends. We want to make sure that no Virginian misses a word of what is being said on the telephone."

For more information about Hamilton Relay and Virginia Captioned Telephone Service, please visit www.hamiltonrelay.com or call 800-618-4781.

About Hamilton Relay

Hamilton Relay offers a variety of services including Traditional Relay Services, Captioned Telephone and Internet Relay services.  Hamilton provides Traditional Relay and/or Captioned Telephone services to 19 states, the District of Columbia, the Island of Saipan and the Virgin Islands. More information is available at www.hamiltonrelay.com.

CapTel is a registered trademark of Ultratec, Inc.

SOURCE Hamilton Relay