Illinois Telecommunications

What Illinois Telecommunications does

Illinois Telecommunications Access Corporation (ITAC) is a not-for-profit corporation established in 1988 under Illinois law to provide free telecommunications equipment and relay services to Illinois residents who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late-Deafened, DeafBlind, or Speech-Disabled. The organization administers two mandated programs: a specified voucher equipment program that lets eligible applicants select and own specialized communication devices at no cost, and the Illinois Relay service, a free 24/7/365 relay service enabling telephone calls between people with hearing/speech disabilities and standard phone users.

ITAC's product portfolio spans amplified phones (Clarity XLC8 and AltoPlus series with up to 53dB amplification), captioned telephones (CapTel 840Plus-SP, 840i, 880i, and 2400i provided through partner Hamilton Relay), speech devices (Emote Electrolarynx, Speech iPad with AAC apps), Deaf communication devices (Deaf iPhone, Deaf iPad, Ultratec Superprint 4425 TTY), and the Illinois Relay service delivered via vendor T-Mobile Accessibility. The organization operates 42+ physical selection centers across Illinois, an online application portal at itac-apply.org, and a mail-in application process, with all equipment covered by a 3-year warranty.

ITAC's revenue model is a small per-line surcharge levied on every landline, cellular, cable, and VoIP phone line in Illinois and remitted by 400+ participating carriers as required by state law. The organization is governed by the Illinois Commerce Commission, a Board of Directors, and a consumer Advisory Council. Applicants qualify regardless of age or income, provided they are Illinois residents with documented hearing or speech disability and obtain medical professional certification.

Name

Illinois Telecommunications

Legal name

Illinois Telecommunications Access Corporation

Website

https://itactty.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Illinois Telecommunications Access Corporation (ITAC) is a state-mandated not-for-profit that distributes free specialized telecommunications equipment and 24/7 relay services to Illinois residents who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, or Speech-Disabled, funded by a surcharge on phone lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accessibility Telecommunications Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899), Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Assistive Hearing & Communication Access (Captioning, Hearing Support, Transcription) (EDAFAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

AT Device Setup, Integration & Technical Support (MDM, IT, Interoperability) (EDAKAIAK), Assistive Technology (AT) & Accessible Learning Tools (EDALAGAB)

Keywords

• Accessibility telecommunications services
• Telephone relay service
• Assistive communication devices
• Amplified captioned phone
• TTY equipment distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Phone Line Surcharge: ITAC is a not-for-profit corporation supported by a small charge on every phone line in Illinois. Illinois law requires all landline, cellular phone companies, and most Cable and VoIP phone companies to provide telephone access funding for ITAC's programs.
2. Equipment Distribution: Free equipment program funded by the phone line surcharge. Equipment is provided at no cost to eligible Illinois residents with hearing or speech disabilities. Programs include amplified phones, captioned phones, TTY devices, iPhones, iPads, and electrolarynx devices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ITAC distributes free specialized telecommunications equipment — amplified phones, captioned phones, TTY devices, iPhones, iPads, and electrolarynx devices — to eligible Illinois residents who are Hard of Hearing, Late-Deafened, Deaf, DeafBlind, or Speech-Disabled, via a Specified Voucher program delivered through 42+ selection centers and an online portal. ITAC also operates the Illinois Relay service, a free 24/7/365 statewide relay allowing deaf/hard-of-hearing/speech-disabled individuals to place and receive calls. All programs are funded by a small per-line surcharge assessed on Illinois phone companies and are mandated by state and federal law.

Product overview

Illinois Telecommunications Access Corporation (ITAC) operates as a not-for-profit organization established in 1988 to provide free telecommunications equipment and relay services to Illinois residents with hearing or speech disabilities. The company offers a specified voucher program under which eligible individuals select and own specialized communication equipment. The product portfolio spans three main categories: (1) Amplified and Captioned Phones including Clarity XLC8, Clarity AltoPlus, and CapTel series (840Plus-SP, 840i, 880i, 2400i) for users with hearing loss; (2) Speech Devices including the Emote Electrolarynx for laryngectomy patients, Speech iPad and Speech App for AAC communication; and (3) Deaf Communication Devices including Deaf iPhone, Deaf iPad, and Ultratec Superprint 4425 TTY. Additionally, ITAC provides the Illinois Relay service for relay calling. All equipment comes with a 3-year warranty and is provided at no cost to eligible Illinois residents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Illinois Relay Service A free telephone relay service available 24/7/365 that enables people who are Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, Speech-Disabled, or Deaf-Blind to place and receive calls to standard telephone users via keyboard or assistive device. Provided through vendor T-Mobile Accessibility.
• Clarity XLC8 Cordless Bluetooth A cordless amplified phone with Bluetooth cell-phone connectivity, up to 50 dB incoming and 15 dB outgoing speech amplification, Slow Talk Control, answering machine, and hearing aid compatibility; distributed to eligible Hard of Hearing Illinois residents at no cost.
• Clarity XLC8GLT Deluxe An amplified cordless phone with 50 dB incoming and 15 dB outgoing speech amplification, Slow Speech feature, answering machine with slow playback, and adjustable loud ringer; distributed free to eligible Illinois residents.
• Clarity AltoPlus An amplified phone with 53 dB incoming and 15 dB outgoing speech amplification, built-in speakerphone, large tilting LCD display, ClarityLogic remote diagnostic service, and Clarity VoiceAssist for talking keypad/CallerID; free to eligible Illinois residents.
• Clarity Alto Plus GLT Deluxe Bundle with V2T-10 A bundle including the Clarity Alto Plus amplified phone (53 dB gain), a V2T-10 Voice-to-Text Converter for real-time transcription, and a deluxe captioning tablet with Pro11 software for visual display of conversations.
• CapTel 840Plus-SP A captioned telephone with dual Analog/IP mode capability that displays real-time captions during calls for users with hearing loss.
• CapTel 840i (Internet Based) An internet-based captioned phone with a 7-inch high-resolution captions window, built-in captioned answering machine, caller ID, speed dial, and phone book storage for up to 95 contacts.
• CapTel 880i (Internet Based) An internet-based captioned phone with automatic captions on all calls, up to 40 dB volume amplification, large adjustable captions, multiple font sizes and colors, and a built-in answering machine.
• CapTel 2400i (Internet Based) A tablet-style captioned phone with Wi-Fi compatibility, touch-screen control, built-in answering machine with voice and captions, up to 40 dB amplification, adjustable font sizes and colors, and dial-by-picture capability.
• Hard of Hearing iPhone An Apple iPhone (128 GB) in an OtterBox protective case, preloaded with select Hard of Hearing Communication Apps for users with hearing loss.
• Serene SA-40 Cell Phone Amplifier A Bluetooth cell phone amplifier compatible with virtually any Bluetooth-enabled cell phone or iPad, amplifying sound up to 40 dB with adjustable tone booster, T-coil mode, and hands-free speakerphone.
• Emote Electrolarynx An artificial larynx device for laryngectomy patients with an Emotion Button for tone control, ergonomic design, USB charging with 28+ day battery life, and included oral adapter, tubes, and lanyard.
• Speech iPad A WiFi-only iPad (64 GB, 10.9-inch) in a Bam Bino protective case, preloaded with AAC speech apps, TeltexCare 3-year warranty and MDM service.
• Speech App A preinstalled accessibility application with general accessibility apps and specialized AAC communication apps, providing portable communication assistance for individuals with speech disabilities.
• Deaf iPhone An Apple iPhone (128 GB, 6.1-inch) in an OtterBox case with preloaded Deaf Communication Apps, TeltexCare 3-year warranty, and MDM service.
• Deaf iPad A WiFi-only Apple iPad (64 GB, 10.9-inch) in an OtterBox protective case with preloaded Deaf Communication Apps, TeltexCare 3-year coverage, and MDM service.
• Ultratec Superprint 4425 TTY A feature-packed text telephone (TTY) with built-in 24-character printer, 32k memory, auto-busy redial, three-way calling, TTY transfer, Turbo Code, E-Turbo for relay calling, ASCII code support, and sticky key feature.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• T-Mobile AccessibilitycoreTechnology or IntegrationT-Mobile Accessibility is the vendor for Illinois Relay service, providing the relay infrastructure that enables 24/7 telecommunications access for people with hearing and speech disabilities. The service meets or exceeds all federal and state relay standards.
• Hamilton RelaycoreTechnology or IntegrationHamilton Relay provides CapTel Relay services in Illinois, enabling captioned telephone services for individuals with hearing loss. Available at hamiltonrelay.com/illinois.
• Illinois Commerce CommissioncoreOthersITAC is governed by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), which provides regulatory oversight. The ICC also handles consumer complaints about relay services through its Consumer Services Division.
• Participating Phone CompaniescoreOthersOver 400 landline, cellular, cable, and VoIP phone companies operating in Illinois contribute to ITAC funding as required by state law. Major partners include AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Comcast, and numerous other carriers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• T-Mobile Accessibility: Vendor partner and the largest U.S. provider of telecommunications relay services (TRS), serving multiple states' relay mandates including ITAC's Illinois Relay. Highly comparable because it provides the actual relay-infrastructure backend, also offers wireless accessibility products and operates adjacent to ITAC's program in other states.
• Sorenson Communications: Leading provider of Video Relay Service (VRS) for ASL-based Deaf communication and interpreter services in the U.S. Comparable to ITAC because it serves an overlapping customer segment (Deaf community) with an alternative assistive-communication modality that complements (and increasingly substitutes for) traditional TTY/voice relay.
• Hamilton Relay: Major U.S. relay services provider operating CapTel captioned-phone relay in Illinois and across multiple states. Direct comparable on relay-services capability and equipment (CapTel 840i/880i/2400i) that ITAC distributes — Hamilton is both a vendor partner and an adjacent competitor in other state relay programs.
• CaptionCall (by Sorenson): Provider of captioned telephone service and equipment with FCC certification, operating a similar captioned-phone mission to ITAC's CapTel program. Comparable as a parallel federal-program-funded captioned-phone service provider that some ITAC-eligible residents may use instead, representing a partial overlap in service delivery model.

Others

• Clarity (a Poly/HP brand): Manufacturer of amplified phones (Clarity XLC8, AltoPlus) — the hardware ITAC distributes to Hard-of-Hearing Illinois residents. Comparable as the supplier whose product specifications and amplification technology underpin ITAC's amplified-phone equipment category.
• Ultratec (Captel / Ultratec): Manufacturer of CapTel captioned phones and Ultratec Superprint TTY devices — both of which ITAC distributes. Upstream supplier and adjacent ecosystem participant whose product roadmap directly shapes ITAC's equipment offering and refresh cycle.

Direct peers

• Texas Telecommunications Access Program: Texas's TRS and equipment distribution program administered under HHSC, providing free adaptive telephone equipment to Texans with disabilities. Direct peer with the same surcharge-funded, state-mandated delivery model and identical core mission to ITAC.
• Massachusetts MassRelay: Massachusetts's state relay and equipment program serving Hard of Hearing, Deaf, DeafBlind, and Speech-Disabled residents via free specialized equipment and 24/7 relay services. Directly comparable to ITAC in funding mechanism (state surcharge), equipment distribution model, and eligible population.
• California Telephone Access Program (CTAP): California's state-mandated Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program, structurally identical to ITAC — distributes free specialized phones and relay-funded services to California residents with hearing/speech disabilities. Direct peer due to identical statutory funding model via surcharge, identical equipment voucher program, and identical relay-services mandate.
• Florida Telecommunications Relay (FTRI): Florida's Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program, providing free specialized equipment and relay services for Floridians with hearing loss, deafness, or speech disabilities. Direct state-program peer to ITAC, financed by Florida phone-line surcharge with comparable voucher model and selection-center distribution network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/illinois-telecommunications

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Illinois Telecommunications