A US-based start-up firm is to trial a Bermuda service to allow deaf and speech impaired people to communicate more effectively with telecoms and power suppliers.

Pypestream, in partnership with the Bermuda Islands Association of the Deaf, is to run a pilot scheme to provide customer services from a range of island operators starting on Tuesday, March 7.

The American company provides a high-tech service to deal with queries without the need for speech communication.

The trial was authorised by the Regulatory Authority, which included the electricity industry to telecoms after it took over regulation of power providers last October.

Among other companies taking part are an insurance company and two banks.

A spokesman for the RA said: “The authority expects that the market, and telecommunications and electricity service providers generally, will deliver a commercial solution to this particular issue.

“A failure to do so will be viewed by the authority with great concern and may lead to regulatory intervention in this particular area.”