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This section provides information about the teletypewriter (TTY) messaging
feature in Avaya Modular Messaging. All information is on one
html page for ease of printing and distribution. This section contains
the following topics:
Teletypewriter overview
A teletypewriter (TTY) is a data terminal that people who are hearing impaired or speech impaired can use to transmit and receive text through a telephone system. A TTY is also referred to as Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, or TDD. The term TTY is preferred because not all users are deaf.
A typical TTY resembles the keyboard of a laptop computer with a one-line or a two-line alphanumeric display. Most TTY models connect to the telephone network through standard analog RJ-11 telephone lines. Alternatively, many models have an acoustic coupler that resembles two large rubber suction cups. You can use this style of TTY with a standard telephone when you place the telephone handset into the coupler.
The TTY is silent when it is not used to transmit text. As a user types on the device, the TTY emits audio tones that the telephone network transmits. Different sequences of tones correspond to different text characters. To the human ear, a transmitted TTY character sounds like a parakeet chirp. The TTY device that receives these signals converts the tone sequences into the original text.
Not all TTY users transmit and receive messages with the TTY devices. Approximately half of the people who rely on TTY devices are hearing impaired but can speak clearly. They often prefer to receive messages on their TTY devices and then speak in response. This process is referred to as Voice Carry Over, or VCO.
The Federal Communication Commission, under rules authorized by Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, requires that voice mail systems are accessible to TTY users. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 also specifies the same access requirements. Support for pure TTY interaction and mixed-mode TTY and voice are required. For example, VCO users must receive the system menus and prompts in TTY format and record a voice message.
Modular Messaging offers the following telephone user interfaces (TUIs), which provide support for TTY users:
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Aria® TUI for Modular Messaging. The Aria TUI supports many of the features and menus of traditional Octel Aria systems.
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AUDIX® TUI for Modular Messaging. The AUDIX TUI supports many of the features and menus of traditional AUDIX and INTUITY AUDIX systems.
- Serenade® TUI for Modular Messaging. The Serenade TUI supports many of the features and menus of traditional Octel Serenade systems.
Modular Messaging does not provide automatic TTY support in the Modular Messaging mailboxes. Administrators must enable TTY support in the same way that they configure a mailbox to use a spoken announcement set. The TTY support is an announcement set, similar to the spoken French and German announcement sets. For the TTY announcement set, administrators can also specify the conditions under which the specific mailbox uses TTY-format prompts and menus. Regardless of the selected announcement language, users can record TTY or voice messages.
In Modular Messaging, administrators can configure mailboxes so that callers can select TTY-format or voice prompting from the same mailbox. Subscribers can use Subscriber Options and Web Subscriber Options to assign up to three Call Answer languages to their mailboxes. Thus, mailbox owners who receive both TTY and voice calls no longer need different telephone numbers and mailboxes for each type of call.
Administrators must be aware of the following issues that can compromise the use of TTY devices on a Modular Messaging system:
In the Modular Messaging—Message Storage Server (MSS) offer, Modular Messaging can be configured for use as:
In the latter configuration, the MSS stores all voice, fax, and text messages that a
subscriber receives. Corporate
e-mail is stored on the corporate e-mail system.
In the Modular Messaging—Microsoft Exchange or Modular Messaging—IBM Lotus Domino offer, Modular Messaging is a voice messaging front end. Modular Messaging integrates with an existing Microsoft Exchange or IBM Lotus Domino
e-mail system and provides a unified message store for all messages.
The existing e-mail system serves as the message store for corporate e-mail, voice, and fax messages.
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Getting started with the Modular Messaging
teletypewriter user interface
In Modular Messaging, TTY is a language that is included with Modular Messaging US English language package. The TTY prompts make most messaging features available to users of TTY devices. With the TTY device, Modular Messaging users can send, receive, and respond to TTY messages. Users press the same telephone keys to send, receive, and respond to TTY messages and voice messages.
Subscribers whose mailboxes are set up for TTY can:
- Use the TTY language for most Modular Messaging menus, prompts, and messages.
- Use Modular Messaging to answer incoming telephone calls with a TTY greeting.
Callers can use the Modular Messaging TTY or voice prompts when they record messages.
Modular Messaging also supports the mixed use of TTY and voice during the same call. For example, during a VCO session, a user can receive a prompt in TTY format and then record a voice message. Hearing impaired people who speak intelligibly can receive messages with a TTY device and send a voice message during the same call. This feature can be of value for hard-of-hearing TTY users who speak clearly.
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Important information for users
This topic includes the following information for
users of TTY-enabled Modular Messaging systems:
Obtaining the recommended hardware
Modular Messaging requires that you use push-button or touchtone dialing during your call to make menu selections or enter data. Many TTY devices, including the Avaya Model 8840 TTY, can generate touchtones to dial a number. Unfortunately, after the telephone call is connected, these devices switch automatically from touchtone mode to TTY mode.
For this reason, Avaya recommends that you use a touchtone telephone with the TTY device. One way to do this is to use an acoustic coupler to connect the TTY device and the telephone.
An alternative approach is to use the TTY with Avaya IP Softphone. Configure IP Softphone to be in “Telecommuter” mode and designate the TTY device as the associated analog telephone. The IP Softphone user interface allows touchtones to be transmitted to Modular Messaging.
Understanding the Modular Messaging prompts
When you use Modular Messaging with a TTY device, the system displays
menus and prompts on the TTY device. The menus and prompts present options
about messaging features. Frequently,
Modular Messaging prompts you to press numbers or type letters and characters on the telephone keypad. When you press the keys on the telephone keypad in response to the prompts, you
send commands in the form of touchtone signals to Modular Messaging.
The only time that you type on the TTY device is after you receive the Go
Ahead (GA) prompt.
Converting teletypewriter tones to text
When TTY users receive a voice message, their TTY device either displays no text, or occasional random characters. Often, the TTY user is aware that the message contains voice because the signal indicator on the TTY device fluctuates randomly. The TTY device converts the TTY tones to text on the TTY device display. The TTY cannot convert audio voice messages to text on the TTY device display. If necessary, the TTY user can request assistance from a hearing person, such as a relay operator.
Getting help with Modular Messaging
Help is available on your TUI and in the quick
reference guide for your TUI. Help includes a list of menu options.
The quick reference guide for your TUI is available as a pdf file on the Modular
Messaging Documentation CD-ROM. If you need more help, ask your system administrator.
Note: Administrators configure a Modular Messaging mailbox for TTY differently than they do for a voice-only mailbox. Tell the administrator that you use
a TTY device.
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Important information for administrators
This topic includes the following information for administrators
of TTY-enabled Modular Messaging systems:
Setting up a teletypewriter for your system and the subscriber
On the messaging application server (MAS), ensure that the following tasks are complete:
- Install the English (United States) language set. For more information, see VMSC-VMD-Languages Dialog Box.
- Set the audio encoding format to G.711.
- Configure the Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) keys 1 and 2 for English (United States) and for English (United States) - TTY, respectively. For more information, see VMCS-VMD-Auto Attendant - Language Key.
- Install the Subscriber Options application or the Web Subscriber Options.
Subscribers can use the Subscriber Options and Web Subscriber Options user interfaces to administer many mailbox settings. Instruct the subscribers to set the Preferred language field to English (United States)
- TTY on the Subscriber Options, Telephone
Access tab.
- Enable TTY for the system. In VMSC, check the Enable system for devices used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing (TTY) in the Audio Encoding dialog box.
Note: This defines the default language for Subscriber log-in sessions.
Telling teletypewriter users about log-in options
Tell TTY users whether they can press the star key (*) twice as an available log-in option from within
the Call Answer user interface. For more information, see Logging in
to Modular Messaging.
Ensuring that teletypewriter users receive broadcast messages
The Modular Messaging system sends spoken broadcast messages to
all mailboxes on the system, including the TTY mailboxes. Ensure that TTY users receive
the voice messages in a timely manner.
Ensuring voice quality
Modular Messaging systems encode speech and TTY tones digitally for recording, transmission, and storage. Different encoding techniques are available, depending on whether you want to maximize audio quality or storage efficiency. The G.711 format provides the highest audio quality, especially when voice networks use multiple encodings and decodings. Avaya requires that you use the G.711 encoding format in Modular Messaging systems that support TTY devices.
The G.711 encoding format uses a higher encoding rate than GSM. The G.711 encoding format therefore produces larger files and requires more storage space for messages. The Avaya MSS–Standard Availability and Avaya MSS–High Availability systems provide 1,500 and 3,000 hours of storage, respectively. The systems provide most customers with adequate storage space for message playback and networking. For more information, see "Audio Encoding of voice messages" in the Concepts and Planning Guide (pdf).
Understanding signaling between Modular Messaging and the teletypewriter
Two Modular Messaging TUI options interfere with the signaling between Modular Messaging and TTY devices. Subscribers who use Modular Messaging with a TTY device cannot use TUI features that:
For example, if you change the playback rate of a Modular Messaging
TTY message, you also change the baud rate of the transmission.
Modular Messaging and the receiving TTY device are no longer synchronized.
Note: These TUI features might not be available for your TUI.
For more information about TTY-related troubleshooting, see Troubleshooting the TTY user interface.
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Logging in to Modular Messaging
You can log in to most Modular Messaging systems in two ways:
Option 1 is convenient because you dial your extension to log in. Assuming that TTY is defined as the primary language for your mailbox, Modular Messaging sends all prompts and messages in TTY format. You must then press the star key (*) twice to restart and log in to your mailbox using TTY prompts.
Option 2 is less convenient because you must successfully log in to your mailbox before Modular Messaging can switch to TTY prompts. When Modular Messaging answers your call, you receive instructions with prompts spoken in the default language for the system.
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Option 1: dial your extension
Use the following procedure to use a TTY device directly:
- Dial your telephone number.
Wait for Modular Messaging to answer.
- If TTY is not your default or primary Call Answer language, press the number on the telephone keypad to select TTY. If TTY is your secondary language, press 6. If TTY is your tertiary language, press 7.
The TTY device displays the greeting for your mailbox.
- Press the star key (*) twice on the telephone keypad to log in to your mailbox.
Note: Before Modular
Messaging completes the greeting, you can interrupt a TTY message.
The TTY device displays a message that starts with “Welcome to
Modular Messaging.”
- Dial your password.
- Press the pound key (#) on the telephone keypad.
You are now logged in to your mailbox. The TTY device displays your name and whether
you have new messages. The TTY device displays a menu of options.
To choose an option, press the appropriate telephone key.
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Option 2: dial Modular Messaging
Use the following procedure to dial in to Modular Messaging, and then use the TTY device.
- Dial the telephone number of the Modular Messaging system.
When Modular Messaging answers, Modular Messaging plays a
spoken message.
Note: The signal indicator light on the TTY
device flickers to indicate that Modular Messaging answered the call. Look at the signal indicator to determine whether
Modular Messaging answered the call. If you cannot determine that Modular Messaging answered the call, wait 10 seconds after you dial and continue.
- If you are placing the call from your office extension, dial your password,
and press the pound key (#).
- If you are calling from another extension or from outside
your organization:
- Use one of the following telephone key combinations:
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If the extension does not have an associated mailbox,
press the pound key (#).
- If the extension has an associated mailbox, press the star key (*) and the pound key (#).
- Dial your mailbox number.
- Dial your password.
- Press the pound key (#).
Your extension and password identify you as a valid user. Modular Messaging changes from prompts spoken in the default language to prompts in the preferred language for your mailbox, for example TTY.
You are now logged in to your mailbox. The TTY device displays your name and whether you have new messages. The TTY device displays a menu of options.
To choose an option, press the appropriate telephone key.
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Using the Modular Messaging teletypewriter user interface
This topic describes how to complete the following tasks:
Important! You can disconnect the
telephone at any time to end a Modular Messaging session.
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Record your name
You can change your name as it is stored in your mailbox. To change your name, follow the TTY prompts for your TUI. When Modular Messaging prompts you to record your name, use your TTY device to type your name. Ensure that you wait for the GA prompt before you start to type.
Note: To ensure that the text you type displays correctly when played back, Avaya recommends that you do the following on your TTY device before you type your name:
- Type a single digit or a forward slash (/).
- Press the Spacebar on your TTY device a few times.
The first time that you log in to your mailbox, a prompt instructs you to record your name.
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Record and send messages
The TUI you use determines how you record and send messages. For more information, see the Telephone User Interface Guide (pdf).
To record and send messages:
- Log in to Modular Messaging. You can use Option 1 or Option 2.
- Press the appropriate telephone key to record a message.
- When the TTY device displays the GA prompt, type your message, and then press the pound key (#).
- Dial the mailbox number of the person to whom you want to send the
message.
- Press the pound key (#).
The TTY device displays the name of the person when a TTY device recorded the name.
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If the name was recorded
for Modular Messaging by voice rather than by the TTY device, the TTY device display is blank. If the mailbox number is correct,
continue with Step 6.
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If the TTY device displays an
incorrect name, you might have dialed the wrong mailbox number. Press the appropriate telephone key to delete the address, and repeat Step 4.
- Press the appropriate telephone key combination for your TUI to send the message. Depending on your TUI, you can send a message in the following ways:
- The system transmits your message and returns you to the main
menu.
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Get and respond to messages
The TUI you use determines how you get messages. For more information, see the Telephone User Interface Guide (pdf).
To get and respond to messages:
- Log in to Modular Messaging. You can use Option 1 or Option 2.
- Press the appropriate telephone key to get and respond to the messages that people sent you.
- Modular Messaging proceeds with the first new message and tells you the actions that you can perform. Depending on your TUI, you can send or forward messages by using the following methods:
Call the sender. -
Reply to the message.
Forward the message with a comment. -
Reply to all recipients.
Send a message now or later. -
Send the message as a private message.
Send the message as a priority message. -
Delete the message.
Save the message. -
Skip to the next message.
The TTY device displays the next message in your mailbox.
- Repeat Step 3 for each message
in your mailbox.
When the mailbox is empty, Modular Messaging returns you
to the main menu.
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Administer greetings
When you do not answer a call, Modular Messaging answers your telephone
and plays the greeting that you recorded.
Avaya suggests that your personal greeting contain voice and TTY portions.
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Voice portion.You can record a brief voice message to tell callers that they reached a TTY mailbox. Tell callers that they can press 1 to leave a voice message.
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TTY portion. While recording the voice portion, add a TTY recording to the greeting. In the greeting, tell TTY callers to leave a TTY message after they receive the GA prompt.
With Modular Messaging Release 3.0 and later, you do not need to record a personalized greeting. If you do not, the system plays a predefined greeting. If your active Call Answer language is TTY, Modular Messaging displays the TTY prompt “Leave a message for <number>.” If the caller selects a spoken language, Modular Messaging plays the spoken prompt “Please leave a voice message for <name>.”
The TUI you use determines how you administer greetings. For more information, see the Telephone User Interface Guide (pdf).
To record a combined spoken and TTY greeting for your primary
greeting:
Log in to Modular Messaging. You can use Option 1 or Option 2. - Press the appropriate telephone key to select the Personal Configuration or a greetings menu.
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Press the appropriate telephone key to record the personal
greeting.
When Modular Messaging displays the GA prompt on the TTY device, use the telephone handset to record the brief spoken portion of your greeting.
Important! Keep the spoken portion of your
greeting brief so that TTY callers do not think that
they have reached the wrong number.
The following message is an example of what you can record:
“This is a TTY mailbox for John Smith. To leave a voice
message, press 1 now.”
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Press the appropriate telephone key to stop recording the voice portion of the greeting.
- Hang up the handset.
If you use a TTY with an acoustic coupler,
place the handset into the coupler.
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Press the appropriate telephone key to resume recording.
When
you see the GA prompt, type your TTY greeting. The following message is an example of what you can type:
“John Smith is not available. Please leave a message
after you receive the GA prompt. When you finish, you can hang up
or press 1 for more options.”
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Press the appropriate telephone key immediately to stop recording.
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Press the appropriate telephone keys to accept, delete, or record the greeting again.
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Use Call Answer with multiple languages
The Call Answer feature redirects an unanswered telephone call to the voice mail system when an extension is busy or does not answer. Your callers can use the Call Answer feature with a TTY device to leave a message for you.
Subscribers can specify up to three languages from the Call Answer languages that are installed on the Modular Messaging system. Subscribers can select TTY as one of the assigned languages.
If you are a hard-of-hearing or a deaf TTY user, Avaya recommends that you assign TTY as your primary Call Answer language. If you also expect to receive voice calls, assign a spoken language as your secondary Call Answer language. You can also assign another spoken language as your tertiary language.
If TTY is one of the call-answer languages, Modular Messaging answers the call and plays the TTY characters HD. The HD abbreviation is a standard TTY abbreviation that means “please hold.” The HD abbreviation tells TTY users that their call was answered by a TTY-compatible device. Hearing callers detect a sound a little like a parakeet chirp. If the mailbox uses additional languages, the system plays voice prompts for the benefit of voice callers. While this is happening, text does not appear on the TTY device. Modular Messaging plays the TTY prompt GA when callers can start to record their message. The GA abbreviation is a standard TTY abbreviation that means “go ahead.”
After the caller selects a language, Modular Messaging plays your mailbox greeting. If you recorded a greeting, the recorded message plays. Otherwise, Modular Messaging plays a system greeting. If the selected Call Answer language is TTY, Modular Messaging plays the system greeting in TTY tones. The TTY tones are converted to text on the TTY device as “Leave a message for <number>”. If the selected Call Answer language is a spoken language, Modular Messaging plays “Please leave a voice message for <name>” in the selected language.
Modular Messaging uses the selected language for all prompts during the call.
Callers can switch between TTY and the other assigned languages.
To move between the assigned languages, the caller presses star (*) 1 at any time prior to recording a message. Whenever the caller presses star (*) 1, Modular Messaging alternates between TTY and a spoken language. If more than one spoken language is assigned, Modular Messaging prompts the caller to select the spoken language.
When Modular Messaging is ready to record a message, the TTY device displays the GA (Go Ahead) prompt.
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Place a call to a subscriber teletypewriter
A caller can use a telephone or a TTY device to place a telephone call to a subscriber who uses a TTY device.
To place a call to a subscriber TTY device, see Use Call Answer with multiple languages.
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Troubleshooting the teletypewriter user interface
This topic tells you how to correct common problems that
can occur on TTY-enabled Modular Messaging systems. If these
suggestions do not correct the problem, ask your system administrator
for help.
Note: The TUI you use determines the telephone key that you press. For more information, see the Telephone User Interface Guide (pdf).
| Problem |
Possible cause |
Potential solution |
| You see typographical errors and missing characters
in Modular Messaging messages. |
Modular Messaging transmissions might not be
loud enough for your TTY device. |
On some TTY devices, users can adjust the “sensitivity” of the device in order to detect weak signals. For more information about setting the device sensitivity to "high," refer to the user guide for your TTY device.
Alternatively, you can increase the volume of the transmission while Modular Messaging plays a message. Dial the appropriate telephone key for your TUI. For more information, see the Telephone User Interface Guide (pdf).
Note: Do not try to increase the volume while Modular Messaging plays prompts or presents a menu. |
| Modular Messaging does not respond to your commands or menu selections. |
You might be sending “Baudot” TTY tones instead of the “touchtones” that Modular Messaging requires for command entries and menu selections.
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The “Baudot” tones produced by TTY devices and the “touchtones” produced by a telephone when dialing a telephone number are different. Many TTY devices that can generate “touchtone” signals to dial telephone numbers switch automatically to TTY mode after dialing the number.
Recommended solutions include use the TTY device with a standard telephone that is dialpad-equipped, or use the TTY device with Avaya IP Softphone. |
| While Modular Messaging transmits text to your TTY, the system does not respond to the telephone keys that you press.
In other words, you must wait until Modular Messaging stops transmitting before it can respond to your touchtone commands. |
Modular Messaging transmissions to you can be so loud that Modular Messaging cannot detect your touchtone signals. |
After Modular Messaging transmits a message, lower the volume of the transmissions. Press the appropriate telephone key for your TUI.
Note: Do not try to lower the volume while Modular Messaging plays prompts or presents a menu. |
| You see random characters, numbers, and punctuation
marks on your TTY device rather than meaningful text. |
Your TTY device is not synchronized with the Modular
Messaging system. Specifically, Modular Messaging is in “letters”
mode while your device is in “figures” mode. |
Depending on the type of TTY device you use, you can resynchronize your device the following from the TTY device:
- Tap the Spacebar
- Tap the LETTERS key
- Type any letter
Note: If you see letters where you expect to see numbers, press the FIGURES key on your TTY device or type any digit. |
| When TTY users read a message or conversation that
you recorded on Modular Messaging, they see random characters,
numbers, and punctuation marks. |
The TTY device for the user is not synchronized with the Modular Messaging system. |
To synchronize the TTY device with the system, use one of the following methods before you start to type the content:
- If your recording starts with a letter, press the LETTERS key before you start to type the content.
- If your TTY device does not have a LETTERS key, type a slash (/), press the Spacebar a few times, and type the content.
- If your recording starts with a figure, press the FIGURES key and type the content.
- If your TTY device does not have a FIGURES key, type the letter x, press the Spacebar a few times, and type the content.
In all cases, wait for the GA prompt before you start to type. |
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