For the deaf: real instant messaging...and maybe for everybody else as well

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 05 August 2008 10:06

Business IT - Technology

The Internet Society of Australia (ISOC-AU) and TEDICORE (Telecommunications and Disability Consumer Representation) have backed the task force and called on Australian industry to help implement real-time text services. Frank Nowlan, TEDICORE's acting chair said that real-time text needs to be implemented as soon as possible so that people with disabilities had equitable access to communications.

Barry Dingle, the Australian member of R3TF and a member of TEDICORE's consultative expert panel, called for industry to take the initiative to set up an easy to use and install client for real-time text. "This will be the key to success," he said. He told iTWire: "The specs are pretty much in place now... It is almost a non-technical issue now it is becoming more of a revenue issue now [for network operators and service providers]. The idea is to make it available for anyone so anyone can communicate with a deaf person and the deaf can community with anyone else."

Dingle said that there were already some announced real time text client products, mostly in Europe. He added that "Nokia has a project but they are not saying much about it, there are no announced products."

The need for real-time text for the hearing impaired is clear, but it could enjoy much wider uptake. The Wikipedia entry on real time text lists possible applications as being: in conjunction with voice and/or video in a multimedia communication; as fast and really interactive means of conversing in noisy environments where it may be hard to hear; in environments where other people are nearby but where communications privacy is required; to provide all voice callers with a convenient means to accurately pass numbers, addresses and other detailed information in text.

Dingle said that AOL had implemented real-time text in the latest, beta version of its AIM instant messaging using its own protocols, but he suggested this could spur other IM operators to follow suit, which would also increase awareness and uptake of real-time messaging.

However Dingle said it was possible that mobile networks could block real-time text  because it uses a protocol very similar to VoIP, which some mobile operators already block. The SIP protocol does enable a distinction to be made between VoIP and real time text, but Dingle said that carriers with crude VoIP blocking technology would likely block real-time text also.

Certainly if real-time message were to take off in the mobile world, and made use simply of a mobile data service it would significantly undermine carriers' SMS revenues.