GoAmerica(R) Introduces New 'i711 Call Me'(TM) Service
New Service Enables Hearing Callers to Easily Reach Deaf Friends, Family, Co- Workers, and Clients via Personal Toll-Free Number
HACKENSACK, N.J., Dec 12, 2006 -- GoAmerica, Inc. (Nasdaq:GOAM) today announced that it has expanded access to its i711.com(TM) Internet protocol (IP) telecommunications relay service (TRS) by enabling a hearing person to contact a deaf or hard-of-hearing person through a personal toll-free number.
i711.com users simply sign up for a personal toll-free i711 Call Me(TM) number and give that number to hearing people. A hearing person can then dial the toll-free number and the deaf person will receive the spoken part of the call in text on their computer or wireless handheld device, conveyed through an i711(R) relay operator. If the deaf person is unavailable, he or she instead receives a text message with the date and time of the call, the phone number of the caller, and any message left by the caller. Online computer users can call the hearing person back in just one click, using i711's exclusive One-Click Call Back(TM) link included in the message.
"i711 Call Me is a fast, easy way for a hearing person to call a deaf or hard of hearing person and to have a live conversation through relay," said Mark Stern, vice president of product management for GoAmerica. "If the deaf person is unavailable, they receive the text equivalent of a 'voice mail,' including all the pertinent call details and any message left by the hearing caller. These features give i711 users constant but controllable communications access wherever they go."
"Now, hearing people can call me when they need to reach me," said Anatoliy Fegin of Forest Hills, NY. "Before I had an i711 Call Me number, I'd have to call my mechanic through relay several times a day just to check on the status of my car. Now, my mechanic just dials my 800 number, and I get his call on my Sidekick. i711 Call Me makes me more accessible than ever."
Toll Free Calls and One-Click Call Back(TM)
i711 Call Me includes tools for managing how and when calls come in, and what message is delivered to hearing callers. i711 Call Me includes all of the following:
Personal Toll-Free Number. Personal toll-free number to give out to
friends and family, as well as colleagues, school nurses, soccer coaches,
mechanics -- anyone who may have a need to contact the i711 user. Each
i711 Call Me number is assigned to only one person, enabling the user to
publish that number on business cards or otherwise.
TextMail with Caller ID. When the i711 Call Me user is unavailable to
take a call, hearing callers simply leave a message which is immediately
emailed to the user. These messages contain the Caller ID details --
including date and time of the call and the phone number -- as well as
any message left by the hearing caller.
One-Click Call Back(TM). Online computer users who receive an i711 Call
Me message can click on the One-Click Call Back link included in that
message and instantly call the hearing person back. One-Click Call Back
initiates the call by passing the phone number of the caller to the relay
operator, freeing the deaf consumer from having to remember, copy, or
paste the number.
Personal Announcement. When a deaf person is unavailable, the operator
reads the deaf person's "personal announcement" to the hearing caller.
This enables the deaf person to let callers know when they're on
vacation, out of the office for the day and when they'll be back, or to
simply let callers know to leave a message. This announcement can be
changed as often as necessary, and customized by the i711.com user.
Service Availability
i711 Call Me is available now. To receive a live call, the deaf user must have AOL Instant Messenger installed on his or her computer or wireless device. TextMail Messages can be sent to any email address.
Registered i711.com users can set up their own i711.com Call Me number when they sign into i711.com and click on the "My i711" tab. The set up takes minutes, and once set up, the i711 Call Me number can be used immediately.
Registration is required to use i711 Call Me, but registration is fast and free at www.i711.com/register.
The i711 Call Me number and all calls placed through the number are free and enjoy the same privacy protection as all other relay calls.
i711.com offers both text- and video-based TRS calling via the Internet. Text services, often called "IP relay," enable deaf or hard of hearing callers to use a Web-connected computer or wireless handheld device to place calls, which are connected to a relay operator. The relay operator calls the voice number and then verbally speaks the text message typed by the deaf caller to the hearing recipient and types the hearing party's responses back to the deaf party.
Alternately, a hearing person can contact a deaf person through i711.com by dialing the deaf person's i711 Call Me number toll free. The call handling is identical to other forms of text relay, except that the hearing person initiates the call to the deaf person using any voice telephone.
Using i711 VRS, a deaf caller begins a call by communicating directly with a sign language interpreter over a live video connection; the interpreter places the call on the deaf person's behalf, and translates the sign language into audible speech for the hearing person, and back into sign language for the deaf caller. This real-time call enables a deaf person to have phone conversations with hearing friends, family and colleagues more naturally using sign language.
TRS is a free service to all callers. TRS providers -- such as GoAmerica -- receive reimbursement from a pool of funds, collected from telephone carriers by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and administered by the National Exchange Carriers Association (NECA), based on the number of "conversational" minutes handled by each provider.
About GoAmerica
GoAmerica is a leading provider of online and wireless relay services for people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech-impaired. The Company's vision is to improve the quality of life of its customers by being their premier provider of innovative communication services. For more information on the Company or its services, visit http://www.goamerica.com or contact GoAmerica directly at TTY 201-527-1520, voice 201-996-1717 or via Internet relay by visiting http://www.i711.com.
Safe Harbor
The statements contained in this news release that are not based on historical fact are "forward-looking statements" that are made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "continue," or similar terms, variations of such terms or the negative of those terms. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to those of GoAmerica including: (i) our limited operating history; (ii) our ability to respond to the rapid technological change of the wireless data industry and offer new services; (iii) our dependence on wireless carrier networks; (iv) our ability to respond to increased competition in the wireless data industry; (v) our ability to integrate acquired businesses and technologies; (vi) our ability to generate revenue growth; (vii) our ability to increase or maintain gross margins, profitability, liquidity and capital resources; and (viii) difficulties inherent in predicting the outcome of regulatory processes. Such risks and others are more fully described in the Risk Factors set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Our actual results could differ materially from the results expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. GoAmerica is not obligated to update and does not undertake to update any of its forward looking statements made in this press release. Each reference in this news release to "GoAmerica," the "Company" or "We," or any variation thereof, is a reference to GoAmerica, Inc. and its subsidiaries. "GoAmerica," the "GoAmerica" logo, "i711," and the "i711.com" logo are registered trademarks of GoAmerica. "i711.com," "i711 Wireless," "ClickRelay," "i711 Call Me," "One-Click Call Back," "Relay and Beyond," and "Clear Mobile" are trademarks and/or service marks of GoAmerica. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Contacts: GoAmerica
Joe Karp
201-527-1518
jkarp@goamerica.com
http://www.goamerica.com
CJP Communications
Laura Kowalcyk
212-279-3115, ext. 209
laura@cjpcom.com
