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FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have questions about Olelo by Sorenson? We’re here to help!

If you can’t find the answer you are looking for in the FAQs below, don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected] for additional assistance.

Yes. Only people with hearing loss who need captioning to use the phone are permitted to use Olelo. This isn’t just our policy, it’s the law. Because Olelo is supported by the Federal TRS/IP CTS fund, only Deaf and hard-of-hearing users can register for Olelo.

Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) is a form of telecommunications relay service (TRS) that permits an individual who can speak, but who has difficulty hearing, to use a phone to simultaneously listen to the other party and read captions of what the other party is saying.

Olelo is available at no cost to use for qualified users with hearing loss. We are able to offer Olelo at no cost to our users because we are part of the FCC IP CTS program, whose mandate is to ensure functionally-equivalent phone service for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. The IP CTS fund compensates us for the services we offer, allowing us to provide the service at no cost.

As part of the requirements of the IP CTS program, we need to validate that our users are actual people and not fictional or fradulent signups. This is the only reason we ask for your registration information, and it is never sold, shared, or used for third-party marketing or any other purpose.

If your phone does not make automatic updates to the Olelo app, you can manual update Olelo to make sure you have all the latest features.

For iPhones and iPads

  • Open the App Store on your device
  • Tap on your account information in the top right corner
  • Scroll down to “Upcoming Updates”
  • Find the Olelo app and press “Update”

For Android Phones

  • Open the Play Store on your device
  • Tap on your account information in the top right corner
  • Go to “Manage Apps & Device” and then “Available Updates”
  • Scroll to find the Olelo app and tap “Upgrade”

To make it easy for the people you’re calling to know it’s you, Olelo allows you to use your current mobile phone number as your Caller ID! To enable or disable caller ID, click on the menu in the Olelo app, and select My Caller ID.

   
  1. To change the phone number associated with your Olelo account due to a number change or error in registration, contact us at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help!

    We are unable to change your Olelo number to something specific, like your own personal phone number, because you own that number already. However, to improve your Olelo experience and make it more personalized, we can help you turn on Caller ID and Call Forwarding features. This will allow you to answer calls made to your personal number through Olelo for captioned calling, as well as show your number to others when you’re making a phone call.

Olelo is not yet compatible with Apple Watch. However, look out for product updates, as this might change!

At this time, the Olelo App does not work on Jitterbug phones.

Contact us at [email protected] and we can help you block a number!

Moving the Olelo app on your phone’s home screen is easy. Simply press on the icon, and hold until you feel it vibrate. You’ll then be able to drag the icon to wherever you would like it on your screen!

  1. You can change the font size of your captions in the settings of the Olelo app.  

For iPhones:  

  1. Open the menu options by tapping on the menu icon  
  2. Tap Settings  
  3. Use the slider to adjust the caption size  

For Android phones:  

  1. Open the menu options by tapping on the menu icon  
  2. Tap Settings  
  3. Tap Accessibility  
  4. Use the slider to adjust the caption size  
 

You can also adjust the caption size during a call in the call menu   

This could be due to a setting which stops the transcription for your side of the call, so that only the person you are speaking to will be captioned. Go to the Settings tab in the menu located at the top left corner of the Olelo app. Once there, you will see the option to show your captions.

 
  1. We highly recommend using Olelo with speakerphone on. This allows you to easily read the closed captioning on your call while hearing the call out loud simultaneously.

Making outgoing international calls is not supported on the Olelo app, but international calls can be received and transcribed.

As Olelo is primarily a call captioning app for the deaf and hard of hearing, texting is not yet supported on the Olelo app.

 

You can delete call transcripts in the Call History tab by tapping on the trash can icon in the top right corner and choosing which transcripts you would like to delete. To delete all of your call transcripts, hit the select all button (the three squares with a check mark in it). Another way to delete transcripts is by sliding the call you’d like to delete to the left while in the call history tab. Be advised that once transcripts have been deleted, they cannot be recovered.

 

*911 Calling Advisory: Calling 911 from a landline remains the most reliable method of reaching emergency response personnel.

Olelo requires our users to have registered information that complies with United States 911 regulations. To ensure that your correct address is entered into your Olelo app, go to the menu and select 911 Location. You can then verify your address, so that in case of an emergency, help will know where to go.

 

Please also see our Emergency Calling page for more information.

If something isn’t working quite right, here are a few general tips that might help you solve the problem!

  • Try closing and re-opening the Olelo App
  • Try restarting your phone
  • Check that your mobile data is functioning correctly, or that you are properly connected to Wi-Fi

CaptionCall and Olelo by Sorenson is available in the United States only. FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS ANYONE BUT REGISTERED USERS WITH HEARING LOSS FROM USING INTERNET PROTOCOL (IP) CAPTIONED TELEPHONES WITH THE CAPTIONS TURNED ON. IP captioned telephone service may use a live operator. The operator generates captions of what the other party to the call says. These captions are then sent to your phone. There is a cost for each minute of captions generated, paid from a federally administered fund. No costs are passed along to individuals who qualify for the service. The CaptionCall phone and Olelo app remains the property of Sorenson in order to provide ongoing support, service, and upgrades. Patent information:  www.Sorenson.com/Legal