National Relay Service

There are a number of relay call options (connections) that can be accessed by phone, web or teletypewriter (TTY). There may be more than one relay call option that suits you, depending on your needs and situation.

In a life threatening or time critical emergency, you can contact the police, fire or ambulance services by calling the NRS and requesting Triple Zero (000) or dialling the dedicated text-based TTY service on 106. Calls to emergency services are generally prioritised by the NRS.

The NRS is available 24 hours a day, every day and relays more than a million calls each year throughout Australia.

There are also a number of convenient mainstream communications options for people who are deaf or have a hearing and/or speech impairment. Find out more information about these options on the Mainstream communications options page.

Relay officers

The NRS uses specially trained contact centre staff called relay officers who act as the central link between people who are deaf, hard of hearing and/or have a speech impairment, and the person or organisation they are calling. A relay call allows you to communicate with another person while they use the phone, even if you can't hear or use your voice.

Relay officers convert voice to text or text to voice. Sometimes they convert between Auslan and English.

The relay officer relays exactly what is said or typed by parties to the call. They stay on the line throughout each call to make sure they go smoothly, but don't interfere with what is being said.

The NRS is bound by privacy legislation, and relay officers adhere to strict rules about the confidentiality of a caller's personal information.

Your communication is always kept private and confidential.

Services

Relay call options for everyone

Internet Relay
SMS Relay
NRS App

Other relay call options

Video Relay (if you use Auslan)
Web browser Captioned Relay (if you speak your side of the conversation)
Speak and Listen (if you have trouble being understood on the phone)

Teletypewriter (TTY) legacy options

Type and Read
Speak and Read
Type and Listen

More Information

For more information on relay calls see Service Features and the following fact sheets:

National Relay Service—an introduction to relay calls

Published 4th Feb 2019

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If you have difficulty hearing or speaking to people who use a phone, the National Relay Service (NRS) can help.

A call through the National Relay Service

Published 4th Feb 2019

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If you work in a contact centre or as a receptionist, you may occasionally receive calls from your customers through the National Relay Service (NRS). The NRS is an Australian Government initiative that enables people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impediment to make phone calls in the same way as anyone else. People use the NRS when they need to talk to a hearing person who is using a phone. This includes contacting organisations like yours to do business over the phone. A call through the NRS is known as a relay call.