Communication Service for the Deaf

What Communication Service for the Deaf does

Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1975 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, described as the largest Deaf-led social impact organization in the world. CSD's mission centers on creating and providing technologies and services that benefit the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community across employment, leadership, and accessibility dimensions, and it employs between 501 and 1,000 people.

CSD commercializes its accessibility work through its wholly-owned division CSD Access, whose core product is Direct Video Calling (DVC), a proprietary technology that connects Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers directly with sign language-fluent representatives in enterprise contact centers. DVC is positioned as an alternative to traditional third-party relay interpreter services, with disclosed enterprise outcomes including up to a 343% increase in call volume capacity, a 40% reduction in average call handle time, an 80% reduction in total call time, and an 85% customer satisfaction rate. The technology is deployed at named enterprise customers including Comcast Xfinity, Cox Communications, Google, and Walmart.

CSD's go-to-market for CSD Access is enterprise field sales targeting large contact-center operators, complemented by event-driven demand generation through exclusive accessibility sponsorships at industry conferences such as Customer Contact Week Las Vegas. The revenue model for CSD Access is enterprise technology licensing; overall nonprofit funding is not detailed in the available data. Governance includes Christopher Soukup as Chief Executive Officer, Bobby Siebert as Chief Administrative Officer (promoted June 2026 from VP of Contracts and Compliance), and Karen Peltz Strauss, principal author of the ADA, CVAA, and Hearing Aid Compatibility Act, appointed to the Board effective July 2026.

Name

Communication Service for the Deaf

Legal name

Communication Service for the Deaf

Website

https://csd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) is a 1975-founded Austin-based nonprofit and the largest Deaf-led social impact organization globally. Through its CSD Access division it licenses Direct Video Calling technology to enterprise contact centers, serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers at clients including Comcast, Cox, Google, and Walmart.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accessibility Communication Software

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services (EDALAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Accessibility & Web/App Compliance (WCAG) (EDALAGAG), WebRTC & In-Browser Voice/Video (HDAIAHAH), Accessibility, Accommodations & Assistive Services (EDALAFAN), Video Conferencing & Meetings (HDAIAHAI)

Keywords

• Deaf accessibility services
• Video relay technology
• Sign language communication
• Accessibility contact center solutions
• Deaf community services

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. B2B Enterprise Technology Licensing: CSD Access provides Direct Video Calling technology to enterprise organizations (contact centers, telecommunications companies, retailers) who need to serve Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers. Revenue likely generated through licensing agreements with enterprise customers including telecommunications providers and major retailers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

CSD, through its CSD Access division, develops and licenses Direct Video Calling (DVC) technology that enables Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers to communicate directly with sign language-fluent representatives in enterprise contact centers. The solution eliminates the need for third-party relay interpreters and is deployed by major telecommunications, retail, and technology companies such as Comcast Xfinity, Cox Communications, Google, and Walmart. Beyond the DVC technology line, CSD operates as a nonprofit social impact organization running programs that support leadership, employment, and accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.

Product overview

CSD Access, a division of Communication Service for the Deaf, offers the Direct Video Calling (DVC) solution as its primary product offering. DVC enables direct video communication between Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers and sign language-fluent representatives, bypassing traditional relay interpreter services. The solution is designed for customer contact centers and enterprise accessibility implementations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Direct Video Calling (DVC) Proprietary video communication platform that connects Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers directly with sign language-fluent representatives in enterprise contact centers, eliminating the need for third-party relay interpreters. Deployed at Comcast Xfinity, Cox Communications, Google, and Walmart, with reported outcomes including up to 343% increase in call volume capacity, 40% reduction in average call handle time, 80% reduction in total call time, and 85% customer satisfaction rates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 343% increase in call volume capacity
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Comcast XfinitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor telecommunications partner implementing CSD Access Direct Video Calling technology to enable Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers to connect directly with sign language-fluent representatives, eliminating relay interpreter dependence.
• Cox CommunicationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelecommunications partner implementing DVC technology to improve accessibility for Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers in their contact center operations.
• GooglecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner implementing DVC technology to enhance customer accessibility for Deaf and Hard of Hearing users.
• WalmartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor retail partner implementing DVC technology to improve customer accessibility for Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers across their customer service operations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Direct peers

• Sorenson Communications: Largest U.S. provider of video relay services (VRS) for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, with a comparable interpreter-staffed video calling platform. Most direct head-to-head competitor for CSD Access's DVC technology in the enterprise and consumer relay market.
• Convo: Deaf-owned VRS and video interpreting provider serving Deaf/HoH customers and enterprise clients. Directly comparable offering and customer base to CSD Access, operating in the same sign language interpretation category.
• ZP Better Way (formerly ZVRS): Major FCC-certified video relay service provider offering on-demand sign language interpretation for Deaf/HoH callers. Competes with CSD Access for the same enterprise and consumer communication access dollars.
• Purple Communications: Video relay and interpreting services provider for the Deaf community with a similar product, customer base, and FCC-regulated operating model, making it a directly comparable peer to CSD Access.
• VTCSecure: Provider of video relay, video remote interpreting, and unified communications accessibility solutions. Mirrors CSD's enterprise accessibility focus with a technology-led, video-first product approach.

Broad incumbents

• CaptionCall (by Sorenson): Provides captioned telephone service for people with hearing loss, addressing the same accessibility communication market as CSD but via a phone/captioning modality rather than live sign language video.
• Microsoft (Accessibility / Microsoft Teams): Provides accessibility features (live captions, sign language avatars) inside Teams and broader Microsoft products. A broad incumbent whose enterprise reach and bundled accessibility could compete with or partner alongside CSD Access.
• Google Accessibility (Project Relay / Live Transcribe): Already a CSD Access customer and partner. Google's broader accessibility investments (Live Transcribe, Project Relay) make it both a partner and a potential competitor as Google bundles accessibility features into its enterprise communications stack.

Emerging players

• Ava: Real-time captioning and transcription app for Deaf and Hard of Hearing users in group conversations. Adjacent technology category with overlapping user base but a different use case (live group captioning) versus DVC's enterprise contact-center model.

Regional players

• Hamilton Relay: FCC-certified relay services provider (TRS, VRS, CAPTel) operating for state contracts across the U.S. A relevant comparable for CSD's regulatory-framed communication access services, although structured around state contracts rather than enterprise licensing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thisiscsd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Communication Service for the Deaf