MURRAY HILL, N.J.-Thanks to Bell Atlantic Mobile and Bell Labs, people with speech or hearing disabilities will be able to make digital cellular phone calls-including 911 emergency calls-using text-telephone devices plugged into wireless telephone handsets.
Using software from Bell Labs-the research and development unit of Lucent Technologies Inc.-Bell Atlantic Mobile said it plans to be the first in the world to make digital wireless systems compatible with TTY devices, using the same path used for voice transmission. Bell Atlantic plans to introduce the new service in the second half of 2001, initially available through Bell Atlantic Mobile’s direct sales channels.
“We’re going to bring the benefits of digital wireless service to a large segment of the population that up until now couldn’t use this state-of-the-art technology,” said Ted Hoffman, vice president of technology development for Bell Atlantic Mobile. “In addition, this successful collaboration benefits other wireless carriers’ customers.”
Lucent is informing the Federal Communications Commission and industry organizations that it is making the patents and technology available royalty-free to wireless service providers and manufacturers serving TTY customers, subject to certain conditions.
