2-1-1, 7-1-1, and 8-1-1 Service
2-1-1 Service Is Now Available Statewide
2-1-1 Texas dialing code is for free information and referrals to health and human service and community organizations. 2-1-1 maintains a comprehensive regional database of health and human services providers such as: government agencies and programs, food pantries, career services, child care providers, counseling services, volunteer opportunities and other nonprofit resources. By simply calling 2-1-1, callers are connected to a live person who assist them in assessing their need and locating information about available resources in the community.
Every day, approximately 1.8 million deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled Texans and their hearing friends and family rely on the interpretive services provided by the Telecommunications Relay System, Relay Texas.
In 2000, Big Bend Telephone Company officially implemented the use of 7-1-1 as an easier means to access Relay Texas. The implementation of 7- 1 -1 will supplemented access to the Texas Relay System and did not replace or change the existing 800 access numbers for voice or TTY users.
How does 7-1-1 work? By dialing 7-1-1, both hearing and deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-impaired users can initiate a Relay Texas call. Specially trained operators of the Relay Texas System answer the calls to the Relay Center and relay the conversation between the two parties by using equipment that enables them to hear the voice user and read the signals from the TTY (text telephone) user. All calls are handled with strict confidentiality.
Relay Texas service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no restrictions on the number of calls placed or the length of the calls. Relay Texas users can communicate to anywhere in the United States. There is no charge for Relay calls made within your local calling scope.
To learn more about Relay Texas, contact the Relay Texas office at 1-800-676-3777 or the Public Utility Commission of Texas at 512-936-7136 (TTY) or 1-800-782-8477 (v); relavtx@pub.state.tx.us; http://www.puc.state.tx.us/relay/index.cfm.
8-1-1 Service
One easy phone call to 8-1-1 starts the process to get your underground utility lines marked for free. When you call 8-1-1 from anywhere in the country, your call will be routed to your local One Call Center. Local One Call Center operators will ask you for the location of your digging job and route your call to affected utility companies. Your utility companies will then send a professional locator to your location to mark your lines within a few days. Once your underground lines have been marked, you will know the approximate location of your utility lines and can dig safely, because knowing what’s below protects you and your family.
Always call 8-1-1 before starting any digging project!