The Pocket Interpreter

Acronym of the case:

TPI

Web address of the case:

http://www.pts.se

Country of the case:

Sweden

Posting Date:

14 June 2007

Last Edited Date:

09 November 2007

Author:

Patrik Bystedt (Post- och telestyrelsen)

disabilities | Deaf | sign-language

Type of initiative

Case Abstract

The Pocket Interpreter is a part of the video relay service in Sweden. It is a national communication service that makes it possible for deaf people using sign language to communicate with hearing people. Either person can free of charge call the service which is manned by several sign language interpreters located in different studios geographically spread around Sweden. The users can get a relay phone call or a distance interpretation. In the latter case both users are in the same place and the interpreter is present via a videophone. A 3G-phone is frequently used for this.

Description of the case

Domain

eInclusion

Topic

eAccessibility | (public) e-services for disadvantaged people

Sector

Education, Science and Research | Other

Date

January 1998 to January 2090

Date operational

January 2005

Target Users

Civil society | Other

Target Users Description

The service target group is people in Sweden that is deaf, deaf blind, hard of hearing or speech impaired and is using sign language to communicate, and everyone who is in contact with people with these disabilities.

Scope

National

Status

Operation

Language(s)

Swedish

Other

The main language is spoken Swedish and Swedish sign language, but the user can order a relay call i

Policy Context and Legal Framework

In Sweden electronic communications are regulated by the Electronic Communications Act (2003:389) that entered into force the 25th of July 2003. According to section 1 of the first chapter the Act aims at ensuring that private individuals, legal entities and public authorities shall have access to secure and efficient electronic communications with the greatest possible benefit regarding the range of electronic communications services, their price and quality. That means that all users, including disabled users, by the regulation in the Act in terms of choice, price and quality, shall derive maximum benefit by having varied, effective and secure communication services.

The National Post & Telecom Agency (Post- och telestyrelsen, PTS) has, according to governmental regulations and decisions, an assignment to, through procurement, ensure that the special needs of people with disabilities are satisfied. The Government grants an allowance for this purpose every year to PTS. No obligations are presently in use for any of the services that PTS procure for different groups of disabled people. The experience in Sweden is that procurement of services for disabled people ensures maximum benefit from electronic communications services when specific services are needed.

Project Size and Implementation

Type of initiative

Not applicable/not available

Project size

Implementation: €1,000,000-5,000,000

Yearly cost:

€1-49,000

Implementation and Management Approach

The service is procured by PTS, the national Post and Telecom Agency in Sweden, with governmental funding. The current supplier is the Interpreter Centre at Ã–rebro City Council. Other interpreter centres and interpreter companies work as subcontractors in the service.

Multi-channel issues:
The user can call the service in several different ways and via different networks. The technical platform allows calls to and from ordinary voice phones and different video phones such as 3G phones; Internet based video phones, ISDN video phones and PSTN.

Technology solution

All calls are handled in the same platform and in the same manner. The studios with the interpreters are connected via secure connections over the Internet and use ordinary IP technology.

Impact, innovation and results

Impact

The major benefit for the users is the increased availability to interpreter services. There is a shortage of sign language interpreters and you have to book them well in advance, something that demands detailed planning and reduces flexibility and spontaneity. With the Pocket Interpreter, for example, if you want to book an appointment at the dentist or if you meet a friend on the street you can talk to him or her via your 3G phone: you just make a video call to the service and the interpreter is present.

Since the new IP platform was launched in February 2006 the use of the service has grown rapidly. Each month the service now handle almost twice as many calls than the number of calls made in total for the previous year. The number of studios and resources needed has also increased, but not in the same way. This indicates a much more efficient use of interpreters.

Interpreters are located in different places in Sweden, what makes it possible to handle many calls without draining the resources locally.

During 2006 more than 43,000 calls were made. For 2007 this figure will probably exceed 100,000 calls. The number of users has grown rapidly, from a few hundred at the beginning of 2006 to approx 2,000 presently. For comparison, the number of deaf sign users in Sweden is approx. 10,000.

Innovation:
All calls to the service are handled in a call centre solution where the user automatically is forwarded to an available sign language interpreter. The interpreters sit in a studio with different locations in Sweden. During peak hours seven studios are active, but there are a total of 10 studios presently. To handle the expected increase of incoming calls, the number of studios will grow. The interpreters work for publicly held interpreter centres or privately owned interpreter companies.

The major benefits are the increased availability to an interpreter service and the efficient use of interpreters.

The service is unique in the world, and free of charge for the user.

Track record of sharing

The Pocket Interpreter has been introduced nationally and internationally on several occations. It was a finalist at the GuldlÃ¤nken competition and has also won a price at the Mobilgala in Sweden.

Lessons learnt

Lesson 1 - The service has made a huge impact for the user group and has made it possible for sign users and hearing people to communicate in an easy accessible way.

Lesson 2 - The use of interpreters are much more efficient.

Lesson 3 - The solution can easily be adopted for other call centre operations. Medical, customs and police institutions in Sweden have all shown interest in the technical and operational solution used in the service.

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There isn't any Video for this case

Ivor Ambrose

Is there a video?

14 November 2007 | 3793 Visits | Rating: No votes

Can you show us a video of the sytem in use? That would be very useful!

Deaf | signlanguage

Patrik Bystedt

Video describing the service

16 November 2007 | 0 Visit | Rating: No votes

Yes, there is a video describing the service.

Please contact Mr Johnny Kristensen at The Interpreter Centre, Ã–rebro City Council on +46 19 602 45 09 or e-mail johnny.kristensen@orebroll.se for information about the video.

A video in Swedish is available on http://www.bildtelefoni.net/ but there is also an English video available.