NIH NexTalk Communication Services

Are you "trapped" at your desk with your TTY? Are you the only person your office relies on to communicate with citizens via TTY, because that telephone number rings only at your desk? Free yourself with an electronic telephony communications solution from CIT.

What is NTS?

The NexTalk Service (NTS) is an Internet-based, real-time, text communication system with special provisions for the communication needs of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired staff. NTS enables these users to communicate, without having to use a TTY-type device, with anyone who is:

•	Using telephone networks with NexTalk or a TTY device or emulator, or who is calling through any relay service (Relay),
•	Using the Internet with NexTalk or TTY-emulation software, or
•	On the NIH Intranet using NexTalk or TTY-emulation software.

With NTS, any TTY, NexTalk, or Relay call can be answered and then transferred to another NexTalk user or group of users using your PC. NTS also takes messages, saves a list of contacts, and enables teleconferencing.

Who benefits?

NTS is improving the communications technology for staff who now rely on in-place TTY at NIH Institutes and Centers. Several categories of users can particularly benefit from using NTS. Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired staff will find it a convenient alternative for multiple TTY devices and their associated phone numbers. A single phone number can reach these users wherever they are working without the need for call forwarding and separate TTY devices. This is especially convenient for teleworkers.

Likewise, call centers and offices that interact with the public also benefit from having a system with a dedicated incoming TTY phone line that can be easily forwarded or transferred to multiple NTS users. No single person need monitor a TTY device at a dedicated location. Staff can answer incoming and make outgoing TTY calls from any computer, including those at teleworking locations.

NTS Features

•	Make and receive any TTY call, make TTY-to-Relay calls, receive Relay-to-TTY calls.
•	Receive "Text Mail" messages that are forwarded to an email address.
•	Call or accept text calls by any other NexTalk users.
•	Transfer calls to and create conference calls with other NexTalk users.
•	Send and receive internal instant messages using NTS.

How NTS works

NexTalk is a software application that installs directly on a user's Windows PC.

When a person-to-person or conference call is answered, a screen called the conversation viewer appears (see illustration above). The conversation is then entirely "real time," that is, as each party in the conversation types words, the characters appear instantly and simultaneously on all participants' screens. No send button is needed.

Other parties can be invited in to a conference call, and calls can be easily transferred. If one or more parties are not available, messages can be left.

What will I need to use NTS?

You must have a PC; currently NTS does not work on Unix or Mac systems. You must get or have a dedicated phone number, and, when using NTS, you must be connected to the NIH Intranet/NIHnet. When you sign up for NTS, you will be assigned a dedicated phone number. If you are already using a phone line for TTY, you can choose to transfer that number to the NTS; there is a fee for the transfer.

How can I get NTS?

For more information, please see the Communication/Collaboration category in the CIT Service Catalog for the NexTalk Service entry. When you are ready to get NTS, please contact the NIH IT Service Desk in any of the following ways: online at http://itservicedesk.nih.gov or by phone at 301-496-4357 (6-HELP) (local), 866-319-4357 (toll free), or 301-496-8294 (TTY).

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