Hearing Carry Over

Hearing Carry-Over (HCO) allows people who can hear but have a speech disability to type their side of the conversation while listening to the person they are calling. To get started:

1. Make sure you have a TTY (Text Telephone) device or compatible communication software.

2. Connect your TTY to a standard phone line.

3. Dial 7-1-1 or 1-800-735-2989 to reach Relay Texas.

4. Let the relay operator know you’d like to make an HCO call.

The operator will read aloud what you type to the person you’re calling and type back what they say so you can read it.

To make a phone call using HCO:

1. Dial 7-1-1 or 1-800-735-2989 to connect to Relay Texas.

2. When the operator answers, type “HCO call please.”

3. Type the number you want to call and include any necessary area code.

4. The operator will dial the number and announce the call.

5. Once connected:

   • You will listen to the other person directly.

   • You will type your responses for the operator to voice.

6. When finished, type “GA” (Go Ahead) to signal it’s the other person’s turn to speak.

7. To end the call, type “SK” (Stop Keying) or tell the operator you’re done.

HCO Call Types

• HCO to TTY: You type to the TTY user, and the relay operator voices the TTY user’s typed responses.

• HCO to HCO: Both users type their side of the conversation, and the operator voices both sides so each party can hear.

For assistance or questions, call 7-1-1 or 1-800-735-2989 and ask for Relay Texas HCO support.

You don’t need to register to make HCO calls through Relay Texas, but registration may be helpful for faster service and better personalization. Visit the Customer Profile Page for more information.