KPN customers are the first to use Real Time Text

KPN customers can now use Real Time Text (RTT), which allows for real-time messaging during a phone call. As the first European provider, KPN offers this technology to all its mobile customers. Thanks to a software release, KPN customers with a Samsung phone can be the first to use this feature, with other manufacturers to follow later.

With RTT, you can send text messages to the recipient during a phone call. Although this feature was previously only available in Canada and the US, it is now also available in the Netherlands via KPN's network. RTT not only enables text exchange during a phone call but will also be usable for communication with emergency services when speaking is impossible. Additionally, it provides a solution for people with speech or hearing impairments.

During or before a phone call, the caller can press the Real Time Text button on the display, after which a keyboard appears on the screen. This also happens for the recipient of the call. Both parties can then send text in addition to speaking. The text appears immediately on the screen of the conversation partner while typing, without needing to press a send button.

With the introduction of RTT, KPN is ahead of the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which aims to improve the accessibility of products and services. Since not all device manufacturers and providers are ready to offer RTT yet, the service can currently only be used among KPN customers.

KPN Accessibility

Since 1983, KPN has made calling possible for the deaf and hard of hearing through text mediation. This aligns with KPN's belief that everyone should be able to make calls. Since 2012, this principle has been enshrined in the Telecommunications Act, which states that everyone must have equal access to regular telephony, including target groups for whom this is less obvious. KPN enables calling in sign language through KPN Teletolk.

“Real Time Text is a valuable addition to this service,” says Marieke Snoep, member of the Board of Directors of KPN and responsible for the consumer market. “It fits within our mission for a Better Internet. Not just an internet that is fast and stable, but also safe, green, and inclusive. That means everyone must be able to participate.”

KPN TV+, KPN's TV and entertainment platform, is becoming increasingly accessible. For example, it is possible to operate the platform using voice commands, and users can select subtitles in their preferred language when watching NPO and RTL. Currently, KPN offers ten channels with spoken subtitles and/or audio description. Additionally, KPN TV+ uses talk-back so that the user receives audio feedback while navigating through the menus.