Okay, here's the full lowdown on how deaf people communicate. Currently, deaf people log somewhere close to 2 million VRS minutes a month. These are services

Okay, here's the full lowdown on how deaf people communicate. Currently, deaf people log somewhere close to 2 million VRS minutes a month. These are services where they talk to a VI (video interpreter) to translate sign language as they call somebody else. This is their native language, and I assure you they prefer it more than any other mode of communication. Many of them absolutely abhor TTY and often relate text messages with that. However there are other services which piggy back off of AIM called IPRelay. This are the only way to communicate on the go, so they are somewhat popular, but nowhere near as popular as VRS. Currently, the only real VRS solutions are point to point from their homes. Some companies have tried to piggy back off of Facetime with little success, largely due to constraints with the wifi and FCC regulations of logging minutes (that's how they get paid) In the coming months, Sorenson (previously the Sorenson in the Sorenson codec http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorenson_codec http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorenson_codec), the largest provider by far of VRS services (more than a factor of 10) will start to unveil their full onslaught of VRS communications to the deaf community. Deaf people will be able to use VRS services on Android, iPhone, PCs and Macs. And not just on wifi, the goal is deployment on 3G and 4G networks, the holy grail, especially because wifi can get really tricky when users are behind firewalls. What does it take for this deployment? Sorenson has a quality requirement of a minimum of 12 fps and sub 1 second latency over 3G and 4G networks, but a goal closer to 15fps. They've been able to meet their goals, and their video puts Qik to shame. Sprint is likely going to license Sorenson's technology because they also provide some of their own branded VRS services. So, will the hearing take to video chat? Maybe, maybe not. But the deaf will. For the first time in their life they'll be able to call anyone from anywhere you and I can, and talk to them in their native language, ASL. I probably wouldn't have said any of this a month ago, but Sorenson started pushing a video teaser for their nTouch brand, which is the brand name for their entire solution (Mobile, PC, and TV based VRS systems)