Sprint today released WebCapTel, a service that displays word-for-word captions of calls on a web browser. The new free service is expected to help an estimated 23 million Americans with hearing loss, who may face challenges hearing over the telephone.

With WebCapTel, users can make and receive calls on their own telephone, cell phone, landline, or even an amplified phone. During the call, if they have difficulty hearing what is being said, they can log into www.sprintcaptel.com and read written captions of everything their caller speaks. Captions appear virtually at the same time as the person speaks, letting users to enjoy a natural telephone conversation.

Sprint WebCapTel will capture the audio of the person speaking to the user and change the spoken sounds into words to read. When displayed on a web browser, the user can change the font size, color, and even background. When a call is completed, the user can save the captioned conversation for later review, allowing the user to concentrate on being involved in the conversation.

The free service is available for Sprint customers the United States and within US Territories. However, calls to or from international locations, such as Canada or Mexico, are not available.

1. Posted by McGirk	Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:41 pm
That's neat, provided they are in a place with a computer and internet access. Not much good in the car.
2. Posted by IOWA	Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:44 pm
That's neat, provided they are in a place with a computer and internet access. Not much good in the car. Unless They Get An AirCard.
3. Posted by McGirk	Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:17 am
I'm sure not interested in people that are hard of hearing watching a laptop screen instead of the road.

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