But an unwelcome change looms for Mr Philippa and 2000 other deaf and hearing-impaired people who use CapTel – which has been available under Australia's National Relay Service, currently provided by contractor Australian Communications Exchange. The handset will not be available from February next year as it is not supported by the new contractor, Concentrix, which says it can provide the NRS for $22 million a year, compared to the $31 million it cost the government in 2017-18. Labor has hit out at the decision but the government says the company had the best pitch in a competitive tender process, offering better value for money. "Cost overruns in recent years were as a result of an unsustainable agreement with the incumbent provider," a spokesman for Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said. "Concentrix is able to meet the needs of users within the budget and will introduce a range of new solutions to modernise the service and broaden its accessibility through new technologies including smartphones and tablets."

The spokesman said CapTel was an arrangement with the outgoing provider and it was a matter for Ultratec, the American owners of the technology, or the Australian distributors of the device if they wanted to work with Concentrix. In lieu of such a deal being struck, the government has encouraged CapTel users to contact the NRS for help in switching to the new system. One of the options that will be available is a Teletypewriter or TTY, a relay device that is older, slower and more complex. It does not automatically loop in a transcriber like CapTel does, instead requiring a user to make contact with the relay service to arrange their call. Another option is internet relay that requires a computer or other online device. Some CapTel users are concerned about the quality and convenience of the alternative services and are uncomfortable about learning to use a new technology. The average age of people using the service is 80. Labor communications spokeswoman Michelle Rowland has questioned the shift when the cost of the national relay service is based on the transcription workload the contractor has to meet.

"By reducing NRS funding from $27.7 million to $22 million, what the government is actually saying is they want fewer deaf Australians using the relay service," she said. Loading Ms Rowland said the government has ignored the concerns of elderly Australians and their families. "Their decision to cut CapTel outright, without consulting the community or making any reasonable attempt to find middle ground, is not befitting the sensitivity and care we should be showing to elderly deaf Australians," she said. Critics of the decision also question whether the funding cap of $22 million will be able to cope with the growing demand for relay services.