Why use the FRS?

In order for all Federal employees to have access to the Federal Telecommunication System, the federal government established the FRS. The traditional state Telecommunications Relay Service uses commercial lines, therefore not allowing Federal employees to call using the FTS2001 government network. When you use the FRS, your calls are routed over the FTS2001 government network. It saves your agency money.

The FRS allows Federal employees who are Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, Deaf-Blind and/or have speech disabilities to make telephone calls through the FTS2001 network. This includes those members of the general public who are seeking information from Federal agencies and Federal employees who as an official part of government business must contact the general public or who themselves need to access other Federal government resources.