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Stay in touch - A guide to telephones and services for older and disabled people 2004 (view report contents)

Answering machines, fax machines & computer equipment

Answering machines

BT Diverse 5250

BT Diverse 5250 cordless phone with answering machine

Many people have an answering machine to take calls when they’re out or busy, or to screen callers before picking up the phone. It can also be a help if you have difficulty moving around, and worry about getting to the phone before a caller rings off. A simple answering machine can cost less than £20, though most are combined with a phone (like the model above). However, the sound quality of some answering machines is quite poor, which may make it difficult for someone with impaired hearing to understand messages left by callers.

bT relate 3000

The BT Relate 3000 with easy access features and 1571 indicator

You could instead use your phone company’s ‘voicemail’ service, which has two advantages: replayed messages may be clearer, and it can take messages even while you are on the phone. You may have to pay £1 or £2 a month depending on the company and service features, for example BT’s basic ‘1571’ service is free but unlike BT ‘Call Minder’ (£2 a month) it doesn’t let you record your own outgoing message or pick up your messages from other phones.

Fax machines

A fax machine (from £75) plugs into an ordinary phone socket and nearby mains socket and includes a phone and often an answering machine as well. Most businesses have fax numbers, and sending or receiving a letter or other document by fax may be useful if you find hearing or speaking on the phone difficult. But nowadays, if you have access to a computer, email is likely to be quicker and easier.

Computer equipment

 

Laptop with vodafone datacard inserted

A mobile datacard gives you access to email and the internet on your laptop

Many homes have a computer, and public-access computer terminals are available in libraries and internet cafes. There’s a huge range of information and entertainment on the internet, while email and internet-based instant messaging or ‘chat’ services can be a quick and easy means of communication of special value to deaf people. It’s also fairly easy (apart from the cost) to go online on the move with a ‘wireless’-enabled portable computer. Advice about computers is outside the scope of this guide, but you can get more information from the RNIB, RNID or Abilitynet.

The RNID’s VCam service offers on-screen chat plus visual contact aimed mainly at deaf people who have a computer with a web-cam (a low cost video camera) linked to it. If you have poor sight, you could use text-to-speech software even if you can’t read the screen.

other equipment

 

nokia 3650 Nokia 9201i

The Nokia 3650 (left) and the 9201i Communicator (right) mobiles are available with text-to-speech software

blackberry PDA

Some people find the Blackberry 7230 phone useful for email

This section has shown some examples of the wide range of equipment now available from phone shops, electronics stores or on the internet.

We’d like to see such generally-available equipment designed so that as many people as possible can use it, including disabled and older people. Despite the wealth of features on many recent phones, there are signs that some manufacturers are taking this principle of ‘inclusive design’ more seriously. So if you hunt around you may find a product which meets your needs and is easy (enough) to use. Sometimes, however, more specialised equipment or accessories may be needed to make using the phone easier. For more details of these, see section Accessories and adaptors.

 

Report Contents

Introduction

Telephones

Other equipment

Buying a phone & phone services

Useful contacts

 

Fixed line Operators

Mobile Operators

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