Improved relay services and new NRS contracts

The government today announced the successful tenderers for the two National Relay Service contracts which will start on 1 July. This follows a competitive tender process that began last August. These contracts, which will run for five years, will deliver a range of new services – the biggest improvements to the NRS since it was established.

Successful tenderers

• Australian Communication Exchange (ACE) has been chosen as the Relay Provider delivering the relay infrastructure and national relay call centre.
• WestWood Spice (WWS) has been chosen as the Outreach Provider delivering training, community awareness, helpdesk services, and customer and stakeholder engagement.

ACE and WestWood Spice are also the current providers of the NRS.

New services

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Stephen Conroy in making the announcement said that a number of significant new services would be delivered by the NRS under the new contracts. Some of these services will commence from 1 July; others require some updates to regulations first so they will commence as soon as possible after 1 July.

• two-way internet relay that will allow NRS users to receive as well as make phone calls on internet-enabled devices
• access to a range of existing and future NRS service options through a smartphone application
• an SMS emergency relay service that will allow NRS users to access emergency services (police, fire, ambulance) via text
• a web-based captioned telephony service that will allow Australians with hearing impairments to read the other party’s responses in phone conversations in close to real time
• a video relay service available business days from 7 am to 6 pm EST that will allow deaf Australians who communicate through Auslan to make and receive phone calls
• a version of the NRS website tailored for mobile devices
• expanded hours for the NRS Helpdesk (from 8 am to 6 pm EST).

As well as these improvements, existing NRS services and service options will continue.

For more information see Senator Conroy’s announcementor contact the NRS Helpdesk.