National Relay Service

The National Relay Service (NRS) is a telephone access service available to all Australians. It assists people who have a hearing or speech impairment or are deaf to contact anyone in the wider telephone network, and anyone in the community can use it to communicate with those who are deaf, or have a hearing and/or speech impairment.

People who have a hearing or speech impairment or are deaf can access the service through the use of equipment for text-based communications including teletypewriter (TTY), telebraille or computer with a modem connected through the NRS. The service also has a dedicated text-based emergency call service—106.

The NRS comprises two components—a service that relays calls, and the outreach service that promotes increased awareness and acceptance of the relay service, offers information and provides support and training to NRS users and potential users.

Australian Communication Exchange (ACE) provides the relay service and WestWood Spice provides the outreach service under current contracts with the Commonwealth.

The service is confidential and is provided at no additional cost above the cost of a standard telephone call to consumers. The NRS is funded by a quarterly levy on eligible telecommunications carriers, under Part 3 of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999. The method for calculating each carrier's NRS levy contribution for a quarter is set out in the Act. More information on the NRS levy is on the Australian Communications and Media Authority website.

•  Australian Communications and Media Authority: Disability services - National Relay Service
•  Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999

In 2010, the Australian Government announced a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the NRS and how it might be improved for the future. The submission period for public consultation closed 2 September 2011, and the review is expected to be finalised in the first half of 2012. For more information about the NRS Review, see:

• Review of access to telecommunications by people with a disability, older Australians and people experiencing illness.

To assist the transition of telecommunications services from the copper network to the National Broadband Network, the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency (TUSMA) will assume responsibility for delivery of the NRS and other universal service policy outcomes through contracts or grants from 1 July 2012. TUSMA will take on the management of existing NRS contracts with ACE and WestWood Spice. For more information about TUSMA, see:

• Universal Service Policy in the National Broadband Network environment.

To assist the transition of telecommunications services from the copper network to the National Broadband Network, the government intends to establish a new entity, the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency (TUSMA), which will assume statutory responsibility for delivery of the NRS and other universal service policy outcomes from July 2012. The TUSMA will take on the management of existing NRS contracts with ACE and WestWood Spice. For more information about the TUSMA, go to Universal Service Policy in the National Broadband Network environment.

You can contact the NRS for more information from the options below.

Document ID: 3524 | Last modified: 24 April 2012, 4:59pm