Method and system for unifying phonebook for varied hearing disabilities

A communication system for communicating between a hearing-impaired user and a hearing-capable user, comprising:

• a first voice phone for use by the hearing-capable user;
• a network device for use by a hearing-impaired user to communicate with the first voice phone of the hearing-capable user, including an electronic phonebook configured to store therein at least one entry, the at least one entry including a phone number of the first voice phone and a relay service type identifier designating a request for a specific level of interpretive services, the network device further including a control process configured to be responsive to selecting one of the at least one entry from the electronic phonebook and passing the phone number of the first voice phone of the hearing-capable user and the relay service type identifier of the one of the at least one entry;
• and
• a relay service coupled via a network to the network device and the first voice phone, the relay service configured to provide a variety of interpretive services between the hearing-impaired user and the hearing-capable user.

A method for electronic communication with a hearing-impaired user and a called user, comprising:

• selecting an entry from an electronic phonebook within a network device, the entry including a phone number of the called party and a relay service type identifier;
• passing the phone number of the called party and the relay service type identifier to a relay service, the relay service configured to provide varying levels of interpretive services;
• and
• initiating voice carry-over interpretive service at the relay service when the relay service type identifier designates a request for the voice carry-over interpretive service.