Equipment & Technology Teletypewriter (TTY) / TDD / TT

A teletypewriter (TTY), which is sometimes referred to as a TDD or TT, is a device that allows people who are deaf or hard of hearing to converse over a landline telephone line. Instead of speaking, a deaf person types his or her message on a TTY, which is simultaneously sent to another TTY.

A TTY looks like a small typewriter keyboard. It has a telephone modem and a small LCD screen. To use a TTY, a person dials the phone and places the handset in the TTY’s couplers/modem. An electronic signal is then transmitted across the phone line to another TTY. Other types of TTYs are directly connected to the telephone jack. With this type of equipment, the telephone number is dialed either through the telephone or through the TTY. The telephone handset is placed on the table instead of in the TTY’s couplers. TTY software is also available that can be installed on a computer, which can allow a person to use a computer to place and receive TTY calls.

Additional information about the Nebraska Specialized Telecommunications Equipment Program (NSTEP) that provides free tty's to Nebraskans with a hearing loss

Additional information on the Assistive Device Loan Program coordinated by NCDHH, where you can borrow a TTY