BC TELEPHONE CO. Special Needs Centre 5 - 3777 Kingsway Burnaby, BC V5H 3Z7
663-3251 1-800-242-8643 (Toll free) TTY 430-6044 TTY 1-800-663-1264 (Toll free)
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf
BC Tel provides a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TTY), available from the Special Needs Centre. The price for the equipment starts at about $370. A TTY line is available for operator assisted calls.TTY 1-800-855-1155
Message Relay Centre
A Voice Relay Centre provides TTY to voice and voice to TTY translation. Persons with hearing or speech impairments, whose sole means of telephone communication is by TTY, can receive calls from and place calls to persons without a TTY.
1-800-855-0511 (Toll free in BC) (voice) TTY 711 or TTY 1-800-972-6509 (Toll free in BC)
Discount Rates
People communicating by means of a TTY can apply to BC Tel for a 50% discount on direct dialed long distance calls within Canada. A medical certificate is required as per the CRTC.
Telephone Equipment for Hearing Impairments
Additional equipment is available for people with hearing impairments: telephone amplifiers to increase the volume of telephone voices, devices to decrease background noise, chimes and other bells to increase the volume and intensity of the telephone’s ring, as well as lights to signify the telephone is ringing. Rates for these services vary.
Telephone Equipment for Mobility Impairments
For people with mobility impairments BC Tel provides several types of hands-free telephone devices such as a lightweight headset and adaptor. A minimal fee is charged for this equipment if a medical certificate is supplied. Additional hands free phones are available for purchase.
Telephone Equipment for Sight Impairments
Equipment available for people with sight impairments includes large and raised numbers on the keyboard, and plastic dial plates with raised numbers which can be attached to a regular phone.
Free Directory Assistance
If you have a disability that prevents you from using the telephone directory, please register with BC Tel. For customers with sight or mobility restrictions, or who are certified functionally illiterate, it may be impossible to use a directory. By providing a medical document or a BCTel-provided exemption form certifying your disability, you will automatically be exempted from the charge whenever you call directory assistance. Exemption forms are available from BCTel PhoneMarts, customer service offices, and the Telecom Centre for Special Needs.