Firm's phone innovation will aid deaf individuals

Sorenson Communications on Thursday began supplying its Video Relay Service users with DirectVP numbers for Sorenson videophones.

The Salt Lake-based company is the nation's leading supplier of Video Relay Services for individuals with hearing impairments who use American Sign Language to communicate.

The goal of the new feature is to make it easier for hearing callers to use a single phone number to contact deaf individuals who use Sorenson Video Relay Service (SVRS).

The DirectVP numbers are available for Sorenson VP-100 and VP-200 videophones without the need to set up or activate an account. The users simply select their own DirectVP number from their videophone, which will then appear on the home screen. Calls placed with the new numbers are free of charge. SVRS users can call each other by calling either a new DirectVP number or by using the existing Sorenson videophone number.

Those who do not have a SVRS DirectVP number will still have to include two numbers: the SVRS number (866-FAST-VRS) and their Sorenson videophone number or IP address.

The company has created contact cards for SVRS users to personalize and distribute to hearing contacts. It also includes an explanation of SVRS and how it works. More information is available by visiting www.sorensonvrs.com/directvp.