Our History

CSDVRS was founded as a division of Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc. (CSD) in 1999. After working closely with the Texas Public Utilities Commission, CSDVRS launched its inaugural service to the nation in 2000. By 2001, CSDVRS was the nation's only 24/7 provider, and was also the first to offer Spanish VRS, video mail and Personal 800 Numbers.

CSDVRS was developed based on feedback from the nation's deaf and hard of hearing community. They deserved a functionally equivalent way to communicate that was more fluid than the sometimes cumbersome traditional relay service. Using CSD's expertise in the interpreting industry — over 30 years — CSD was able to transition community interpreters' abilities to a video–based, relay environment.

In 2006, CSD spun off CSDVRS as a stand–alone for–profit organization, thus allowing CSDVRS the freedom to focus primarily on providing the industry–standard in VRS without being part of an umbrella organization.

Today, CSDVRS stands alone as the pioneers of the VRS industry. While other providers have followed our lead, CSDVRS is dedicated to that same spirit of innovation and commitment to excellence that took VRS from a dream, to reality, to the nation's premier VRS provider.