About Local Numbers

Q. What is a local 10-digit number?
A. A local 10-digit number is your own personal telephone number, just like the ones hearing people have. It is unique and no one else can have the same phone number as you. It starts with three numbers other than 800, 877, or 866.

• A 10-digit number enables you to receive incoming calls from hearing friends, family, and business associates directly on the videophone you have today or your Mobile Video Phone, or through AIM on your computer or wireless device.
• Deaf friends can also call you directly on your videophone by using your local 10-digit number.
  

Q. What is NOT a local 10-digit number?
A. "Proxy" or "alias" VP numbers are not considered real local numbers. Toll free numbers that start with 800, 888, 877, 866 are real phone numbers but are not LOCAL numbers.

Q. What did the FCC decide about local 10-digit numbers?
A. By December 31, 2008 all relay providers must complete the following:

1. Adopt of a local 10-digit telephone numbering system VRS and text relay services.
2. Set up a Default Provider/Preferred Provider Registration Process
3. Set up a data base for all local 10-digit numbers
4. Ensure customers can transfer numbers to other providers (Local Number Portability or "LNP").
5. Comply with all E911 Emergency Call Handling Requirements
6. Ensure users can choose any relay provider for their text relay or VRS calls.

Q. What is required by the FCC?
A. Relay users must register with a relay provider to get a local 10-digit number and
9-1-1 services.

Q. What is E911
A. E911 refers to a service the FCC requires all relay providers to offer. By offering E911, relay providers make it easier for you to dial 9-1-1 using VRS or text relay to receive emergency assistance. You can read more about E911 in this FAQ as well as in our E911 vlogs.

Q. What is "Functional Equivalency"?
A. Functional Equivalency is the ability for deaf or hard of hearing people to communicate using relay with the same ease and convenience hearing users communicate using telephones. This represents equal opportunity, equal rights, equal access to telecommunications services and fuller participation in society by deaf or hard-of-hearing people using technologies such as IP-based VRS and text relay services.

Q. What is an Alternate Provider?
A. An Alternate Provider is the VRS or text relay provider through whom you'd like to make your relay calls. For example, if you have a videophone from Sorenson, you can still choose to make calls through Hands On VRS. In this case, Hands On VRS would be your alternate or preferred provider.

Q. What is a Default Provider?
A. Your Default Provider is the VRS or TRS provider with whom you choose to register with to obtain a 10-digit telephone number, provide 9-1-1 service, and manage your relay equipment (e.g. Videophone)

Q. What is a Preferred Provider?
A. A Preferred Provider is the same as Alternate Provider.

Q. What is Local Number Portability (LNP)?
A. When you get your local 10-digit number, it becomes yours to keep and use regardless of your relay provider. If, after you sign up for your number, you decide you want this number to be handled through a different relay provider, you can transfer your number. The ability to do this is called "Local Number Portability" or "LNP" or "PORTING."

Q. What is a domain name?
A. A domain name is a simpler way to represent an IP-address. For example, instead of dialing around using the Hands On VRS IP address, you would simply use the hovrs.tv domain name. Domain names are used on the web to identify specific web pages. For example for the web page http://www.ip-relay.com, "ip-relay" is the domain name.

Q. What is an IP Address?
A. An IP address is an ID number for a computer or device on the internet or other network. Relay users set their local 10-digit numbers to ring at their videophone by entering their videophone's IP address to their profile and keeping this address up to date.