Sorenson Communications: Official Provider of VRS and IP Relay Services for 16th Winter Deaflympics.Sorenson to Provide Key Communication Services to Keep Deaf Athletes and Spectators Connected to Family, Friends, and Colleagues Throughout Deaflympics SALT LAKE CITY -- Sorenson Communications[TM] (http://www.sorenson.com), the leading provider of video relay services (VRS (Video Relay Service) A communications service for the hearing or speech impaired. A VRS is the video counterpart of a TTY relay service, in which the user types on a terminal, and the relay operator speaks the messages to the recipient (see TDD/TTY). ) for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who use American Sign Language American Sign Language n. The primary sign language used by deaf and hearing-impaired people in the United States and Canada. American Sign Language (ASL), n. (ASL ASL - Algebraic Specification Language ), today announced it will be the official VRS and IP Relay provider for the 16th Winter Deaflympics, to be held in Salt Lake City, Feb. 1 through 10. (Opening ceremonies will take place on Feb. 3 in the Huntsman Center at the University of Utah The University of Utah (also The U or the U of U or the UU), located in Salt Lake City, is the flagship public research university in the state of Utah, and one of 10 institutions that make up the Utah System of Higher Education. .) Approximately 658 athletes, officials, and delegates from 24 countries will participate in the Deaflympics. Sorenson Video Relay Service[R] and Sorenson IP Relay[TM] (SIPRelay) will facilitate important communication throughout the Deaflympics at nearly every venue, enabling deaf athletes and spectators to stay connected with family, friends, fans, and colleagues. VRS enables deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who use ASL to conduct conversations with hearing individuals in real time, using their native language. To place a free VRS call, all that is required is a videophone (1) (VideoPhone) A line of videophones (definition #1 below) from AT&T that were introduced in the early 1990s and later pulled off the market due to poor sales. The first models came with a price tag above $1,000, and a pair were needed. See Picturephone. , a high-speed Internet See broadband. connection, a standard television, and the assistance of a qualified ASL interpreter, who relays the conversation between the deaf and hearing individuals. IP Relay is also a free service which enables text-to-speech relay calls from a mobile device or a personal computer to any standard telephone user in the U.S. A map of Deaflympics venues at which Sorenson VRS and IP Relay (SIPRelay) will be provided can be accessed by visiting http://www.sorenson.com/deaflympics/venue_map.php and include: * Little America Little America, base for Antarctic exploring expeditions, Antarctica, on the Ross Ice Shelf, S of the Bay of Whales. Richard E. Byrd, a U.S. explorer, established and named Little America in 1929 and built bases on the same site in 1933–35, 1939–41, and Hotel, Salt Lake City, ticket purchase and pick-up location * Park City Mountain Resort Park City Mountain Resort is a ski resort in Park City, Utah. The resort has been a major tourist attraction for skiers from all over the United States, as well as main employer for many people in Park City. , Park City, Utah Park City is a city located in Summit County, Utah, United States. It is one of two major resort towns in Utah, the other being Moab. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back and a part of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. * Salt Lake City International Airport Salt Lake City International Airport (IATA: SLC, ICAO: KSLC) is a public airport located in western Salt Lake City, Utah. The airport is the second largest and one of the fastest growing hubs for Delta Air Lines, as well as hubs for Delta Connection , Salt Lake City * Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, during the 16th Winter Deaflympics EXPO * Steiner Ice Arena, Salt Lake City * Soldier Hollow "Sorenson VRS and IP Relay has made my life much easier by providing speedy access to communication and connection with people to help me get things done smoothly," said Nixo Lanning, a leading international deaf snowboarding competitor and member of the U.S. Deaf Snowboard Team. "Sorenson videophones will be a great way to stay connected during the Deaflympics Games." Sorenson Communications President and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Pat Nola notes, "Sorenson Communications is pleased to serve as the official VRS and IP Relay provider for the 16th Winter Deaflympics. The Deaflympics is one of the world's most exciting and inspiring sporting events. We are thrilled to support these great deaf athletes and their many fans in sharing the excitement of winning results and other highlights from the Deaflympics with family and friends." Sorenson Communications will also sponsor the 16th Winter Deaflympics EXPO, a free two-day event that will be held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 2 and 3, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. The EXPO will create a unique opportunity for members of the global deaf community to converge in Salt Lake City to network, enjoy entertainment, and explore products and services from more than 65 diverse exhibitors. Sorenson Communications will provide free IP Relay Service and will showcase its VRS videophones, which will be available for use by guests. In partnership with AOL (A division of Time Warner, Inc., New York, NY, www.aol.com) The world's largest online information service with access to the Internet, e-mail, chat rooms and a variety of databases and services. , Sorenson Communications will also offer a free Internet Cafe for EXPO visitors. Prior to the EXPO, Sorenson Communications will co-sponsor an in-school Artist Residency Program with Quest: arts for everyone. Visual and performing artists will teach students at Sandy's Jean Massieu School of the Deaf and Salt Lake City's Wasatch Academy. Art works and performances by the students will find expression at the EXPO's "Children's Performance Arts Showcase," on Feb. 3, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. For more information about Sorenson VRS and IP Relay, visit http://www.sorenson.com. For information about the 16th Winter Deaflympics, venues, and events, visit http://www.2007deaflympics.com. For more information about the 16th Winter Deaflympics EXPO, call 801-287-9400, visit http://sorenson.com/deaflympics/events.php, or e-mail expo@2007deaflympics.com. About Sorenson Communications Sorenson Communications[TM] (www.sorenson.com) is a provider of industry-leading communication offerings for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, which include Sorenson Video Relay Service[R] (VRS), the company's line of videophones, Sorenson IP Relay[TM] (SIPRelay) and Sorenson Video Remote Interpreting Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) is a service utilizing video cameras to provide sign language interpreting services without an interpreter present. A typical VRI setup involves a deaf and hearing user at one location with a camera and television screen, and an interpreter at [TM] (VRI VRI Vacation Register International VRI Video Relay Interpreting VRI Vehicle Research Institute (Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington) VRI Venture Research Institute (Lake Forest, California) ). Sorenson VRS (www.sorensonvrs.com) enables deaf callers to conduct video relay conversations with hearing friends, family members and business colleagues through a qualified ASL interpreter. The Sorenson VP-100 is the first consumer-based broadband videophone appliance specifically designed for deaf individuals. Sorenson IP Relay service (www.siprelay.com) allows deaf and hard-of-hearing users to place instant text-based relay calls from a personal computer (PC) or mobile device to any telephone user. Sorenson Video Remote Interpreting[TM] (www.sorensonvri.com) is a fee-based video interpreting service ideal for use in situations where an interpreter cannot be physically present to interpret between deaf and hearing individuals who are at the same location. |
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