What is a relay call, and what does it sound like?
A relay call is a phone call made through a relay service, so a person with a hearing or speech disability can talk to someone on an ordinary phone2. The service is available in every state, and many forms can be reached by dialing 7112. A trained communications assistant usually sits in the middle. Many calls start with a line like "Hello. This is the relay service"2.
What your line hears depends on the type of relay. In text relay, the assistant reads out what the caller types and types back what you say, so there are pauses. In speech-to-speech relay, the assistant repeats the caller's words clearly. With voice carry over or captioned telephone service, you hear the caller's own voice while your words are typed or captioned for them2. Assistants must relay in real time, generally word for word, keep no record of what was said, and stay on the call for at least ten minutes2.
| Relay type | Who uses it | What your line hears |
|---|---|---|
| Text relay (TTY or IP Relay) | People who type their side of the call | A relay assistant reading the caller's words aloud, with pauses while they type |
| Speech-to-speech relay | People with speech disabilities | A relay assistant repeating the caller's words clearly |
| Voice carry over | People with hearing loss who speak for themselves | The caller's own voice; your replies are typed to them |
| Captioned telephone (CTS, IP CTS) | People with some hearing who read captions | The caller's own voice; your words are captioned for them |
| Video relay (VRS) | People who use American Sign Language | A sign language interpreter's voice |
Do businesses have to take relay calls?
If you serve the public, plan on it. The Justice Department says businesses and nonprofits that serve the public must accept telephone calls placed through relay services, and that staff who answer the phone must treat relay calls just like other calls3. The guidance has no legal force of its own, but it explains what the Americans with Disabilities Act already requires3.
The risk is real, because people get it wrong. The FCC says some people hang up on relay calls because they think the assistant is a telemarketer2. A relay call can open with a stranger introducing a service, then a pause, which is exactly what a robocall sounds like. About 15% of American adults report some trouble hearing5, so these callers are not rare.
Where can an AI receptionist get a relay call wrong?
Spam screening is the first place to look. The FCC has allowed phone companies to block suspected illegal calls1, and some AI receptionists screen calls that sound automated. A call that opens with "This is the relay service" and then goes quiet can look like a robocall to a filter, so check that relay calls reach the AI or a person.
Silence is the second. In text relay the assistant is typing, so the line can go quiet for several seconds while the caller writes. An AI receptionist that ends a call after a short silence may hang up on a real customer. Speech is the third. In speech-to-speech relay the assistant repeats the caller's words, and with voice carry over the caller may speak in a way your AI has not heard much. Speech recognition accuracy varies from speaker to speaker4, so the AI may need to fall back to a person sooner.
How do you check your AI receptionist?
Relay services are for people with hearing and speech disabilities, so don't dial 711 to test your own line. Instead, call your business from a second phone and play the part yourself. Open with "Hello, this is the relay service, I have a call for you", then stay silent for fifteen seconds, then ask a normal question slowly. Listen for three things: the call is not screened out, the AI waits through the pause, and it offers to connect you to a person when it struggles.
Then tell whoever reads your call summaries what a relay call looks like, so a missed one gets a call back. If your AI receptionist can be told to always transfer relay calls to a person, that is the simplest safe setting. This page explains FCC and Justice Department guidance as of 4 November 2026; it is not legal advice.