Telecommunications Relay Service
The NZ Relay range of services is provided by the Crown for people with communications disabilities. MBIE funds NZ Relay to provide equal work and lifestyle opportunities for those with speech, hearing and vision disabilities. These services assist people who are Deaf, hard of hearing, speech-impaired and deafblind to communicate with others over the phone, with the help of a relay assistant.
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New Zealand’s Telecommunications Relay Services
Following a review in 2019, changes were made on 1 February 2021 to modernise New Zealand’s Telecommunications Relay Services.
Current functions include free mobile and international calling, two-way calling between Speech-to-Speech service users, and the ability to use both Zoom and Microsoft Teams when booking remote sessions on the Video Interpreting Service.
A free NZ Relay app for mobile phones and tablets is available to download from the App Store and Google Play Store. This app can be used to make and receive text relay and captioned relay calls, using mobile data or a Wi-Fi connection.
These services receive funding from the Telecommunications Development Levy and are delivered by a contracted provider, Concentrix Services (New Zealand) Limited.
Find out more about the services available on the NZ Relay website(external link)
List of services
Video Interpreting Service
A caller signs with an NZSL interpreter on Skype, the interpreter relays the message verbally to a non-NZSL user over the phone, and then signs the reply to the caller.
This service is available 7 days a week
- Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm
- Saturday, 10am to 5pm
- Sunday, 12pm to 5pm
The service’s hours operate as above during public holidays.
The Video Interpreting Service can also be used for remote interpreting where the caller and the person they want to talk to are in the same room. For example, a caller might want to access this service during a doctor’s appointment or at a parent-teacher interview.
Text relay
A caller sends a text message to a relay assistant through the NZ Relay application on their mobile phone or tablet. The relay assistant then relays the message verbally to a standard phone user and texts the spoken reply to the caller to read.
This is a 24-hour service. The NZ Relay app is free to download from the App Store and Google Play Store and uses mobile data or a Wi-Fi connection.
Internet text relay
A caller types a message to a relay assistant through the NZ Relay website. The relay assistant then relays the message verbally to a standard phone user and types the spoken reply to the caller to read.
This is a 24-hour service.
Captioned relay
Captioned relay services are available using the NZ Relay application for mobile phones and tablets.
A caller speaks and listens to another phone user on their mobile or landline phone. A relay assistant will listen to the other person’s response and create text captions that appear on the screen of the caller’s mobile phone or tablet.
The NZ Relay app is free to download from the App Store and Google Play Store and uses mobile data or a Wi-Fi connection.
This is a 24-hour service.
Teletypewriter (TTY) to voice
A caller types their message to a relay assistant using TTY equipment. The relay assistant then relays their message verbally to a standard phone user and then types the spoken reply to the caller to read.
This is a 24-hour service.
Hearing carry-over (TTY)
A caller with a speech impairment can type a message to a relay assistant using TTY equipment. The relay assistant then relays their message verbally to a standard phone user, who then speaks directly to the caller.
This is a 24-hour service.
Voice carry-over (TTY)
A caller speaks directly to another phone user using TTY equipment. A relay assistant then types the spoken reply to the caller to read.
This is a 24-hour service.
Speech to speech
A caller with a speech impairment can speak with a specialist relay assistant using their own voice or a synthesizer. The relay assistant then relays their message to a standard phone user.
This is a 24-hour service.
Video-assisted speech to speech
A caller speaks with a specialist relay assistant using both Skype, to provide visual cues, and a regular phone. The relay assistant then relays their message to a standard phone user.
This is a 24-hour service.