In generations past, deaf people relied on the willingness of their family members and the generosity of their neighbors to make phone calls on their behalf. This often meant a sick worker would get out of bed to visit a neighbor with a note asking to call the supervisor or other elaborate acts of compensation and workarounds.

The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 changed this by ensuring telephone accommodation for all deaf people in civics and commerce. Title IV of this seminal legislation mandated access to telecom systems in every state, which came to be known as telecommunications relay service (TRS).

In 1995, the first VRS trials were conducted in the State of Texas by Ed Bosson and the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

In 2000 the Federal Communications Commission recognized video-based relay services as a legitimate form of TRS. This meant TRS companies could provide VRS and be compensated by the Federal Government.

In the years since, video technology and broadband penetration have leapt to lower costs and greater levels, making VRS progressively more viable and accessible.

Today tens of thousands of people use VRS on a daily basis on their computers, standalone videophones, set-top devices hooked up to TV sets, and smartphones.