Disability services

Disability equipment program

We have a range of products to help our customers who have difficulty accessing standard telephone services.

Our Disability Equipment Program is for customers who are deaf or blind or have a hearing, speech, vision, mobility or dexterity impairment.

Who can apply?

To receive equipment under our Disability Equipment Program, you need to:

have a disability or impairment that means you're unable to use a standard telephone handset
be a Telstra retail customer or an associate of a Telstra retail customer (eg. a household member or small business employee) that has a basic phone line service and rents a phone from Telstra.

How to apply

Find out more by contacting our Disability Enquiry Hotline:

1800 068 424 (Voice)
133 677 (TTY)
Email us

Teletypewriters (TTYs)

TTYs allow you to send and receive text messages over the telephone network. People with little or no effective speech or hearing can conduct text-to-text conversations with other TTY users, or they can use the National Relay Service to conduct text to voice calls with other users. Telstra supplies a number of models through the Disability Equipment Program:

Uniphone 1150
The voice, text and amplified telephone that is suitable for both standard phone and TTY users.

Features:
- Combines TTY and telephone features
- The telephone handset includes a hearing aid coupler and has volume control
- Built-in flashing ring indicator
- Auto Answer
- Built-in memory allows you to review your TTY conversation
- Turbo Code automatically sends and receives as fast as you can type
- ASCII code capability enables the Uniphone to communicate directly to a computer modem
- Takes TTY messages when you are unavailable
- VCO/HCO possible when used with in-built telephone handset
Superprint 4425
Loaded with features to make communication easy.

Features:
- Turbo Code with interrupt facility allows 'real time' conversation - send or receive as fast as you can type
- Voice announcer tells the caller to use a TTY or dial a relay service and gives the relay number
- Auto Answer, remote message retrieval
- Acoustically coupled to your telephone handset or direct connect to your telephone line
- AutoID alerts hearing people to your TTY calls
- Built-in ring flasher for incoming calls
- User programmable relay voice announcer
- Built-in 32K memory allows you to store phone numbers and conversations
- Memory dialling
Big Button / Multi-Purpose phone
If you have difficulty holding a telephone handset, reading or dialling the numbers on your telephone, or making yourself heard on the phone this may be the phone for you.

This multi-purpose phone has been especially designed to suit people with vision or dexterity impairment. The buttons are double the size of those on a standard phone, and can activate the handsfree function and dial programmed numbers with a single push of a button.

Features:
- Large print and large button keypad
- Handsfree microphone and speaker that activate by touching any button on the keypad
- Three one-touch and ten two-touch memory buttons for frequently called numbers
- Adjustable ringer volume and pitch
- Adjustable voice aid to amplify outgoing speech
- Adjustable volume control to amplify incoming speech
- In-built hearing aid coupler
- Flashing light for incoming calls
- Additional port so that you can add a single, external switch if you have difficulty dialling on the phone
* A supplementary battery/power pack is available, if single, external switch operation is required.

Uniden SSE47+1
This Sight and Sound Enhanced phone may be a great choice for older people, those with hearing loss or low vision, or anyone in a noisy home or workplace.

This multi-purpose phone has been especially designed for long range cordless calling, suitable for large homes, with up to 50 metres indoor coverage and up to 300 metres outdoor coverage. The SSE47 increases extra loud volume to 50 decibels if needed, provides Visual Incoming Call Indicators if you prefer quiet, and offers a Slow Talk Mode function to slow down the audio and make it easier to understand faster talkers.

Features:
- Safety pendant - Helping your Peace of Mind - Allowing your call of help to be directed to the people of your choice. Simple operation - One help button
- 3 Picture Keys with Speed Dial - Large visible picture keys for easy recognition of important speed dial numbers
- 200 name and number home phonebook - Store contacts on the phone to speed up dialling
- Key Feedback (tactile/audible/display)
- Visual ringing signal
- Hearing Aid Compatible
- Audible ID of Keys
- Alternate Ring Tones
- Voice Volume Control
Extension Ringer / General Purpose Alarm

An auxiliary telephone ringer that can be installed in conjunction with your standard telephone to provide additional ring volume for people with a hearing impairment.
Features:
- Extension ringer
- Adjustable ring pitch and volume
- Plugs into any socket, no batteries or mains power required on the current model
- Much louder than a standard telephone ring
- On / off switch