12
Answering calls
• Never rush to answer a call, do it in your own time.
• Use BT Caller Display to check who’s calling you.
Only answer if you feel you want to. You can get
BT Caller Display as part of BT Privacy – see page
42. (You might need to pay an additional fee and
get a new phone if your phone isn’t enabled for
Caller Display.)
• Let an answering machine or BT Answer 1571
take the call and you can ring the caller back when
you’re ready to talk.
• Record your conversations so that you can identify
problem words and work on your phone technique.
Helping others hear you
If you’ve a quiet voice the person you’re speaking to might not be able to hear you. Apart
from being frustrating, repeating yourself wastes your time. A phone with outgoing voice
amplification will increase the power and volume of your voice.
If you have no useable voice you could consider using a textphone that allows typed phone
conversations. For more information see page 7 or go to textrelay.org.
If you use a speech output device you could use a phone with a hands free (loudspeaker)
feature to pick up the audio output and transmit it down the line so you don’t need to hold
the handset near the device.
A loudspeaker phone might be useful if, for example, someone is there to monitor the call
and help if necessary.
BT Text
You might think that text messaging or Short Message Service (SMS) is more for people with
hearing difficulties but SMS can also help if you’ve got a speech or language impairment.
You can find out more about BT Text on page 6.
Using email and instant
messenger
The internet’s given us more ways to
communicate. And now, with gadgets like
tablets and smartphones, it’s even easier to
stay in touch, both at home and on the move.
For more about how the internet can help
you, see page 35.
