The accessible range depends on your interior walls and other solid surfaces. The general distance is 50 feet. 

Yes, Program phones should not interfere with your other household phones. The majority of Program phones do require electricity and a land line connection. 

The Captioned Telephone distributed by California Connect is landline based and is not compatible with the following types of telephone service: Cable/VoIP/Fios lines. An example would be telephone service provided by a cable company. CapTel will only work properly with an analog line (or DSL line with a filter). However, captioned telephones compatible with Cable/VoIP/Fios lines as well as Web-based captioning services are available from various other providers. For more information, visit the Web site of one of the following providers:

• Hamilton  
• AT&T   
• Sprint        
• WCI       
• Caption Call (Sorenson)
• Clear Captions (Purple) 

All phones have a setting for tone and pulse dialing. Tone dialing works with the automated phone menus used by many businesses, such as banks, government organizations, and health care providers.

If you are hearing a clicking sound when you try to dial out, your phone may be set on pulse. On your phone, locate a switch labeled Tone/Pulse or T/P. Make sure the switch is on the tone setting.

Most Program phones have a slider switch on the front (or on the handset of a cordless phone) that controls volume. Moving the slider or rotary switch increases the volume of the incoming call. Often it helps to adjust the volume on each call. If here is a “boost” or “amplify” button on your phone, you may want to turn that on to increase the volume further.

Check that the phone’s line cord is securely connected to the phone jack in the wall and to the phone itself.  Most amplified phones also have a power adapter that connects to an electrical outlet. Check the phone’s connection to the adapter and the adapter’s connection to the electrical outlet. Try connecting another telephone to the phone jack to ensure the phone line is working.

If you have voice mail through your telephone provider, check whether you have a message.

If your voice sounds faint to callers:
Some Program phones have outgoing speech amplification, which boosts the volume of your voice by up to 15 dB. Be sure the Outgoing Speech Amplification (OSA) button or switch on the phone is engaged. 

If callers cannot hear you at all:
On some Program phones, a button on the handset enables amplification. Press and release the button to enable amplification. Do not hold down the button while speaking because it acts as a mute button.

First, it is important to determine whether there is a problem with the phone line. Disconnect your Program phone from the phone line. Connect a different phone to the same line. If static, buzzing, or humming can be heard, ask your telephone provider to do a line check. If the line is clear, check that all cords, including handset cord, power adapter, and line cord are connected. If the static continues, call 1-800-806-1191 for further troubleshooting. Or visit your nearest Service Center and bring your phone and its parts.

All phones have a setting for tone and pulse dialing. Locate a switch labeled Tone/Pulse or T/P. Push the switch to the Tone setting (T).

Because the phones are loaned to consumers, when a phone is lost, please send a letter describing the circumstances, signed by the consumer. If a phone is stolen, please report the theft to the local police department and the police report number noted in a letter that is signed by the consumer. Letters may be taken to a Service Center, faxed to 1-800-889-3974 or mailed to: California Connect, P.O. Box 30310, Stockton, CA 95213.

Please include the following in your letter

• Your name, phone number, and shipping address 
• Telephone Company 
• Equipment that was lost 
• Description of what happened to the equipment
• Date and Signature