LANGUAGE LINE SERVICES CAN HELP!

Census 2000 estimates show that between 1990 and 1999, the United States Asian population has grown 43 percent to 10.8 million, and the Hispanic population grew 38 percent to 31.3 million. The State of Nebraska’s provider of over-the-phone interpretation is Language Line Services. Language Line Services has facilitated transactions and interactions between cultures for over 16 years.

In the year 2000, State of Nebraska agencies placed over 4,000 calls with interpreter services requesting 27 different languages. The most requested language for interpretation was Spanish, accounting for 86.5% of the calls placed to Language Line. The average call was 14.8 minutes long with average interpreter connect time being 25 seconds.

What does Language Line Services provide? They provide access to over-the-phone interpretation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For face-to-face situations, you can obtain a Language Identification Card to help you identify what language a person speaks.

How does the service work? If you receive a call from or place a call to a non-English speaker, an 800 number is dialed and the language is identified. You will then be asked to provide a six-digit client identification number, the organization name would be the State of Nebraska and the phone number you are calling from would be your personal code. At this time it would be helpful to the interpreter if a summary of what you wish to accomplish is given and include any special instructions. Finally, you add the non-English speaker to the call.

What is the Cost? Effective February 1, 2001, the Language Line rate is $2.10/minute regardless of language or time of day the service is used.

If this sounds like a service you would like to use, please contact the Division of Communications, Vicki McElroy at 402/471-2761 for further information.

State Government Directories

Within the next few weeks you will be receiving the information to make your updates to the 2002 State Government Directory. This annual process is started in Mid-October with updates being required in Mid-November. As in the past years, the Communications Coordinator for each agency will receive their telecommunications departmental listing for the directory, as well as a listing of their staff to be updated. Your cooperation in providing the most current information possible during this October/November update will be greatly appreciated.

NEW MESSAGE LIGHT AVAILABLE

The Division of Communications tests, approves, and makes available telecommunications equipment to State agencies. Recently, Norfolk Vocational Rehabilitation office tested a new external message waiting light that does not require an order to be placed with the local phone company.

Unlike other external devices that detect stutter dial tone signals, a program change is made by the Division of Communications staff and a small visual message waiting light is attached to the phone.

The external message waiting lights will work in the following cities where Centrex service is available: Lincoln, Omaha, Norfolk, North Platte, Grand Island, Beatrice, Plattsmouth, Hebron, Peru, Hastings, Scottsbluff, Wayne, Chadron, Kearney, and Gering.

If you agency is interested in ordering the external message waiting light or any other telephone equipment, please contact Mary Woita at 402/471-3562.

What is the Nebraska Relay Service?

The Nebraska Relay Service is a state-funded telephone service that enables TTY users who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled to communicate by phone with standard telephone users.

What is 7-1-1? Similar to 4-1-1 for information, 7-1-1 is the newest and quickest way to access the relay anytime, anywhere using any home, business, wireless or pay phone in Nebraska.

How do you make the call? To use the Nebraska Relay System: 1) Dial 7-1-1. 2) An operator called a Communications Assistant (CA) will answer your call. Give the CA the telephone number of the person you are trying to reach. 3) Once your conversation begins, use the term “GA” to indicate it is the other person’s turn to respond.

During your call, everything spoken will be typed into the TTY user, and everything typed will be read to the standard telephone user. All Nebraska Relay System calls are completely confidential.

To learn more about the 7-1-1 Nebraska Relay Service, call 1-800-322-5299 (Voice/TTY).

Telephone Trivia

The pay telephone was invented by William Gray and introduced to the public in 1891. By 1902, there were 80,000 pay phones in the U.S. Today, there are approximately 2.2 million payphones in the U.S. The average number of calls per month from each pay phone is about 600...that’s 20 per day.

Directory Listing Closing Dates: