Overview
TexBox is a high tech solution designed to broaden the communication channels between deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired customers and organizations, providing a level of service comparable to that offered to hearing customers.
TexBox is an advanced version of a Voice PBX purpose built for hard of hearing, deaf or speech impaired customers who use live-text communication (meaning character by character transmission in real time) in the same way as hearing people using their voice.
TexBox has two browser based interfaces, the “TexBox Communicator” application, which is a soft textphone allowing users to make and receive text calls and the “Control Centre” interface used for system administration.
Features
User Functions
- Make and receive Text Calls: Users can make and receive text calls as well as send and receive SMS, FAX and email messages using the TexBox Communicator application.
- Transfer Calls: Calls can be transferred to another user or department with the ability to add notes to the call (the equivalent of a voice warm transfer) and with details of the full conversation being transferred.
- Reject Calls: Calls can be rejected automatically after a configurable message is displayed.
- Voice Carry Over: This feature allows users to speak during a text conversation. This feature can be useful for callers that can speak but are deaf, and wish to speak their side of the conversation rather than using text.
- Internal Calls: Companies with deaf or hard hearing workers can use this feature to allow them to make calls to other colleagues and then to hold a live-text conversation with them.
- Save Conversations: Text conversations can be saved in local machines.
Caller Services
- Interactive Text Response: An Interactive Text Response (ITR) system is available to callers, giving similar functionality to an Interactive Voice Response system.
- Direct Dial (DDI): Direct dial to specified users/groups/departments.
- Predefined Messages: Comfort messages can be sent to callers whilst calls are waiting to be answered.
- Answer Machine: Text answer machine facilities available so that callers can leave a message if the service or users are not available.
Deployment
- Tele-working: Users are not tied to a physical textphone and therefore more flexibility is provided for user deployment allowing for “virtual” working.
- Security: Text telephony services do not use an external Internet connection, therefore, there is no outside access to the corporate network.
- Compatibility: V.18 modem technology allows users to communicate with virtually all existing textphones.
Telephone Network Interface
- ISDN30: Supports from 8 to 30 ISDN channels.
Mobile Access
DSPG has developed the TexMee application that allows deaf people to use their mobile smartphones like a soft-text telephone in order to make text calls to TexBox operators.
The TexMee app can be downloaded from the iPhone App Store and Android Market.
Mobile Access Functionalities:
users can make text calls to TexBox operators by clicking on a company icon in the TexMee directory of companies.- Worldwide coverage: allows deaf users to make text calls from any location with mobile Internet coverage (United Kingdom, Europe, USA,…)
- Customisation: users can customise the TexMee application:
- Conversation Text Colour: Incoming Text Color and Outgoing Text Color
- Font style and Font size
Web Access
Web access provides an easy and cost-effective way to add an Internet link to an existing TexBox platform.
Web access consists of a textphone-online that is embedded in a website. You can find a textphone-online example in our Contact section.
Textphone-online enables deaf users to make text telephone calls directly to your organisation without the need to use textphones such as Minicoms or Textlink9100.
Web Access functionalities:
- Call options. Calls can be routed directly to different departments.
- Customisation: During calls, users can customise their Textphone-online: Incoming Text colour, Outgoing Text colour, Font Size, Font Style, … This function turns out to be very helpful for those users who have difficulty reading small print or particular colours.
- Save conversations: Allows users to save conversations once calls are finished.
- Multilanguage: Textphone interface may be translated to any language.
SMS Access
SMS access is a optional service that can be added to the TexBox platform.
This service provides a SMS gateway whereby TexBox operators can receive and send SMS from and to mobile users.
Sending and receiving SMS is carried out using the same application that is used to handle text calls.
Downloads
The following downloads are for the Analogue version of TexBox.
