Sorenson Communications(TM) today announced it has
opened six additional Sorenson Video Relay Service(R) (VRS)
interpreting centers in the following major U.S. cities: Baltimore;
Rochester, N.Y.; Sacramento, Calif.; Portland, Ore.; Tucson, Ariz.;
and Lexington, Ky. Sorenson Communications added these facilities to
its existing interpreting centers to accommodate the growing demand
for its popular video relay service which connects deaf and
hard-of-hearing individuals to the hearing world through American Sign
Language (ASL) interpreters. With additional interpreting centers,
Sorenson VRS is accessed more efficiently by the national deaf
community that uses the service to communicate.
Sorenson VRS enables deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to conduct free video relay calls with family, friends and business associates through a qualified sign language interpreter, Sorenson videophone, TV and high-speed Internet connection. The deaf user sees an interpreter on his or her TV and signs to the interpreter, who then contacts the hearing user via a standard phone line and relays the conversation between the two parties.
"I don't know what I did before Sorenson VRS seeing that I use it every day for business and personal calls," said Katharina Heckley of Sacramento, Calif. Heckley, a deaf mother and co-owner of a home-run flooring business, supports her hard-of-hearing husband while he is on the road using Sorenson VRS. Both use sign language to communicate. "Without Sorenson VRS and our Sorenson VP-100 videophone, we would not be able to contact our hearing customers with job quotes and important daily information. Basically our business would halt," she added.
"Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who have access to Sorenson VRS call hearing people using a free Sorenson VP-100 videophone and are able to communicate without barriers -- conducting work and personal business with greater ease," said Chris Wakeland, vice president of interpreting for Sorenson Communications. "As the technology becomes available to more deaf communities, we experience a tremendous increase in the demand for our video relay service and for more qualified interpreters to relay the calls. To meet the consumer demand, we are expanding our Sorenson VRS Interpreting Centers throughout the county. We will go wherever qualified interpreters are located," added Wakeland.
"Only about 10% of America's signing deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals currently have access to video relay service. Many deaf communities are awaiting affordable high-speed Internet, live in rural areas, or are not aware of how VRS technology can help them," said Pat Nola, president and CEO of Sorenson Communications. "We will continue to expand our business with quality interpreters and innovative technology as is deemed necessary to meet the needs of the deaf and hard-of-hearing who wish to depend on Sorenson VRS for daily communications."
About Sorenson Communications
Sorenson Communications(TM) (www.sorenson.com) is a provider of industry-leading communication offerings including Sorenson Video Relay Service(R) (VRS), the company's line of videophones, Sorenson IP Relay(TM) (siprelay) and Sorenson Video Remote Interpreting(TM) (VRI). Sorenson VRS (www.sorensonvrs.com) enables deaf callers to conduct video relay conversations with hearing friends, business colleagues, and family members through a qualified American Sign Language interpreter. The company's Sorenson VP-100 is the first consumer-based broadband videophone appliance specifically designed for deaf individuals. Sorenson IP Relay(TM) (www.siprelay.com) allows deaf and hard-of-hearing users to place instant text-based relay calls from a PC or mobile device to any telephone user. Sorenson Video Remote Interpreting(TM) (www.sorensonvri.com) is a fee-based video interpreting service ideal for use in situations where an interpreter cannot be physically present to interpret between hearing and deaf individuals who are at the same location.
(C) 2006 Sorenson Communications. All products and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Sorenson VRS enables deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to conduct free video relay calls with family, friends and business associates through a qualified sign language interpreter, Sorenson videophone, TV and high-speed Internet connection. The deaf user sees an interpreter on his or her TV and signs to the interpreter, who then contacts the hearing user via a standard phone line and relays the conversation between the two parties.
"I don't know what I did before Sorenson VRS seeing that I use it every day for business and personal calls," said Katharina Heckley of Sacramento, Calif. Heckley, a deaf mother and co-owner of a home-run flooring business, supports her hard-of-hearing husband while he is on the road using Sorenson VRS. Both use sign language to communicate. "Without Sorenson VRS and our Sorenson VP-100 videophone, we would not be able to contact our hearing customers with job quotes and important daily information. Basically our business would halt," she added.
"Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who have access to Sorenson VRS call hearing people using a free Sorenson VP-100 videophone and are able to communicate without barriers -- conducting work and personal business with greater ease," said Chris Wakeland, vice president of interpreting for Sorenson Communications. "As the technology becomes available to more deaf communities, we experience a tremendous increase in the demand for our video relay service and for more qualified interpreters to relay the calls. To meet the consumer demand, we are expanding our Sorenson VRS Interpreting Centers throughout the county. We will go wherever qualified interpreters are located," added Wakeland.
"Only about 10% of America's signing deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals currently have access to video relay service. Many deaf communities are awaiting affordable high-speed Internet, live in rural areas, or are not aware of how VRS technology can help them," said Pat Nola, president and CEO of Sorenson Communications. "We will continue to expand our business with quality interpreters and innovative technology as is deemed necessary to meet the needs of the deaf and hard-of-hearing who wish to depend on Sorenson VRS for daily communications."
About Sorenson Communications
Sorenson Communications(TM) (www.sorenson.com) is a provider of industry-leading communication offerings including Sorenson Video Relay Service(R) (VRS), the company's line of videophones, Sorenson IP Relay(TM) (siprelay) and Sorenson Video Remote Interpreting(TM) (VRI). Sorenson VRS (www.sorensonvrs.com) enables deaf callers to conduct video relay conversations with hearing friends, business colleagues, and family members through a qualified American Sign Language interpreter. The company's Sorenson VP-100 is the first consumer-based broadband videophone appliance specifically designed for deaf individuals. Sorenson IP Relay(TM) (www.siprelay.com) allows deaf and hard-of-hearing users to place instant text-based relay calls from a PC or mobile device to any telephone user. Sorenson Video Remote Interpreting(TM) (www.sorensonvri.com) is a fee-based video interpreting service ideal for use in situations where an interpreter cannot be physically present to interpret between hearing and deaf individuals who are at the same location.
(C) 2006 Sorenson Communications. All products and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.