Relay service definition

The term relay service is used in clause 6 and 13. It requires a definition. It is used but really not defined in EAA and in EECC, but there is a preamble (227) in EECC that looks like a definition:

(227) Relay services refer to services which enable two-way communication between remote end-users of different modes of communication (for example text, sign, speech) by providing conversion between those modes of communication, normally by a human operator.

The relay service ES 202 975 and the multi-party RTT TR 102 708 both have this definition:

relay service: electronic communications service that enables users of different modes of communication (e.g. text, sign or speech) to interact by providing conversion between different modes of communication, usually through a communications assistant

That looks quite good. In the latest (2024-11-13) proposal for relay service in #101 (closed), modality is used instead of mode, so we need to consider how to harmonize.

It is a bit doubtful if we can call the cognitive support services (e.g. support of memory or to keep to the intended focus of the communication) as providing conversion between different modes of communication.

I suggest anyway to use the definition from ES 202 975.

Maybe also communications assistant would need to be defined even if nearly nothing is said about the communications assistants in the relay service proposal #101 (closed).

TEDDI has two definitions for communications assistant:

1) communications assistant (CA) person providing alternative communication for a two-party conversation, multiparty meeting, or broadcast HF TR 103 708 V1.1.1

2) Communications Assistant (CA) person working in a relay service with media conversion, as a human intermediary (including sign language interpreters for video relay services) HF ES 202 975 V2.1.1

I have a slight preference for using the definition for TR 103 708