No cost · No insurance · Nothing out of pocket
A telephone that shows you every word.
A telephone that shows the caller's words on screen as they speak. Programs provide it free to people with hearing loss — phone, installation, and captions included.
- The phone
- $0
- Installation
- $0
- Captioning service
- $0
- Bill for the phone
- Never
Request a call about a free captioned phone
Submit this form and a program that offers free captioned phones will contact you by phone call and text message to answer your questions or get you set up. There is no cost and no obligation.
What is a captioned call?
It works like any ordinary phone call. You dial, you speak, you listen — exactly as you always have.
The difference is the screen. The caller's words appear in large text as they say them. Miss something by ear, and you simply read it.
It is not a louder phone. Volume isn't the problem — clarity is.
What these phones can do
Fewer misunderstandings
Answer with confidence. What you read is what they said.
Works with what you have
Connects over your home phone line, your internet, or both.
Familiar to use
Same handset, same keypad, same dial tone. Only the screen is new.
Sound tuned to you
Many models adjust their audio to your specific hearing loss.
Specific features, models, and options vary by program and by provider. The specialist who calls you can tell you what is available in your area.
Programs that provide captioned phones at no cost
Programs provide captioned telephones free to people with hearing disabilities. The program pays, not the person who needs the phone.
- The phone is covered. Nothing to buy, lease, or put down.
- Delivery and setup are covered. Someone brings it, sets it up, and shows you how it works.
- The captions are covered. No subscription, ever.
- You never get a bill for the phone. Not up front, not monthly, not later.
You keep paying your own phone and internet bills, as you do now. Those are your own services.
What changes when you can read your calls
Hearing loss takes the telephone away slowly. Captions give it back.
At the doctor's office
Read medication names and appointment times instead of guessing at them.
With family
Follow the whole conversation, not just the parts you catch.
Handling your own business
Call the pharmacy or the bank without needing someone to help.
Far less tiring
No more straining to work out what was said.
You talk and listen normally. The captions are simply there when you need them.
How to get started
Request a call
Just your name and phone number.
A specialist calls you
A live person answers your questions and checks that you qualify. No obligation.
Your phone is installed
It is delivered and set up for you. The person using it must be there.
Questions and answers
What is a captioned telephone?
A telephone with a screen. You speak and listen normally, and the caller's words appear as text as they say them. It uses your existing phone line and home internet.
How can it be free?
Programs exist to keep people with hearing loss connected by phone. They cover the phone, the installation, and the captions.
Are there rebates, deposits, or fees later on?
No. Nothing up front, nothing to mail in, no bill later. You keep paying only your own phone and internet bills.
Do I need insurance or Medicare?
No. Not insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, income, or age. Only hearing loss that makes the phone difficult.
Who is eligible?
Adults with hearing loss who need captions to use the phone. A professional such as an audiologist or physician certifies it. The specialist explains that step when they call.
Can I sign up a parent or relative?
Yes. The person who will use the phone must be there at installation.
Is the conversation private?
Yes. Providers follow strict confidentiality rules, and captions are not kept or shared as a transcript.
What happens after I submit the form?
A live person calls and texts you to answer questions or start setup. You are never obligated to accept.
Ready to learn more, or ready to sign up?
Either way, the next step is the same. Submit the form and a program will call and text you. It costs nothing.
Go to the request form