CapTel^® Services

Captioned Telephone (CapTel)

“Don’t Miss A Word”

CapTel is a “Captioned telephone”, developed by Ultratec, Inc. It is ideal for people with some hearing loss because even if they miss hearing a word here and there, they can still follow the word-for-word captions on the screen. Plus, CapTel users can speak freely, without waiting for captions to display. So, both parties can enjoy a more natural conversation, without interruptions, with minimal delays.

How CapTel Works

The CapTel phone looks and works like any other phone, with one important difference: A small screen built into the front displays easy-to-read text as it is transcribed by a CapTel Operator.

Dialing a call with a CapTel phone is the same as dialing with a standard phone. When CapTel users place a call, they are automatically connected to the captioning service, which allows them to speak as they would normally and read everything the other party says. There’s a specially trained Relay Operator, invisible to the caller, who transcribes each spoken word. Words appear almost instantaneously on the screen, a feat made possible by CapTel’s advanced voice-recognition technology. Incoming callers dial the toll free captioning service first, then enter the CapTel user’s telephone number. So, CapTel users can read the text and listen to the caller’s words at the same time, capturing everything that is said—whether they hear or read it.

What You Need

CapTel phones work with the CapTel Service, which is offered at no cost through Relay Colorado. To use the CapTel Service, CapTel users must have a CapTel phone. Although the service is free, CapTel users are responsible for purchasing their own CapTel phone and any long distance charges incurred.

To request Spanish CapTel Materials click here.