Over-the-phone interpreting
Over-the-phone interpreting services: a professional interpreter, one call away
OPI services for government agencies, insurers, utilities, contact centers, legal teams, schools, and healthcare providers. Dial one number, choose from 250+ languages, and a trained interpreter joins your call, day or night. Supporting teams nationwide from Aurora, Colorado, and Washington, D.C.
Performance benchmarks
- <30s Average connection time From dial-in to an interpreter on the line
- 250+ Languages and dialects Including rare languages, on one number
- 24/7/365 Interpreters on call Nights, weekends, and holidays
- 99.9% Call quality and success rate Calls connected and completed as expected
The problem
Every “please hold” has a cost
Callers who cannot be understood wait longer, call back, or give up. Here is what a day of calls looks like without a phone interpreting plan, and what changes with one.
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Somali · 7:12 a.m.
“Please hold,” in Somali:
Fadlan sugField safety check-in
A crew lead cannot confirm the lockout procedure with a new worker. The job stops until someone can help.
Connected. Rare languages on the same line as Spanish, from one number.
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Vietnamese · 9:40 p.m.
“Please hold,” in Vietnamese:
Vui lòng giữ máyAfter-hours claim report
The call comes in at 9:40 p.m., after the bilingual employee has gone home.
Connected. Interpreters available around the clock, every day of the year.
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Spanish · 10:05 a.m.
“Please hold,” in Spanish:
Por favor, espereBenefits eligibility call
A coworker is pulled off their own work to “help translate” and guesses at program terms.
Connected. Professional interpreters who follow a code of ethics and interpret everything, in the first person.
-
Arabic · 2:30 p.m.
“Please hold,” in Arabic:
يرجى الانتظارUtility outage report
The customer waits on hold while staff search for someone who can help.
Connected. Staff dial one number, enter an access code, and choose the language.
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All languages · Month end
“Please hold,” in All languages:
Please holdMonthly usage review
No one can say which departments use interpreters, or how much.
Connected. Usage reports by department and cost center, with every call itemized.
How it works
One number. Four keys. An interpreter on the line.
Phone interpreting should be the easiest thing your staff do all day. Every call follows the same four steps.
Dial your number
Call your dedicated toll-free number from any phone.
Enter your access code
Each department gets its own code, so usage is tracked where it happens.
Choose the language
Select it from the menu, or ask the operator for any language not listed.
Your interpreter joins
The interpreter introduces themselves with an ID number, and the conversation begins.
On-demand
Dial in whenever you need an interpreter, day or night.
Three-way calls
Add an interpreter to a call that is already in progress, or have the interpreter dial out to your client.
Scheduled
Book an interpreter in advance for planned calls, such as interviews, hearings, and appointments.
Who uses OPI
On speed dial for the teams that answer the phone
Wherever your organization talks to the public, a phone interpreter fits into the workflow you already have.
Healthcare
Scheduling, triage lines, pharmacy questions, and discharge follow-up calls
Government agencies
Benefits eligibility, public assistance, permits, and constituent services
Insurance
First notice of loss, claims interviews, and policyholder questions
Utilities
Service starts and stops, outage reports, billing, and payment arrangements
Legal and courts
Client intake, attorney calls, and remote hearings
Contact centers
Resolve multilingual calls on the first try and keep handle times and customer satisfaction on track
Industrial and field teams
Safety instructions, incident reports, and site supervision, where a misunderstanding is a safety hazard
Schools and education
Parent calls, enrollment, attendance, and student services
Interpreter standards
What a professional interpreted call sounds like
A bilingual coworker summarizes. A professional interpreter renders everything, in the first person, without adding, leaving out, or advising. That is the difference between a conversation and a guess.
Call in progressIllustrative example
- Interpreter
Hello, this is Spanish interpreter 40871. I will interpret everything said, in the first person. Please speak directly to each other.
- Your staff
Thank you. Ms. Ruiz, I’m calling about the technician visit to your home on Thursday.
- Interpreter (in Spanish)
Gracias. Sra. Ruiz, la llamo por la visita del técnico a su casa el jueves.
- Caller (in Spanish)
¿Puedo cambiarla para el viernes?
- Interpreter
Can I change it to Friday?
- Introduces themselves with an ID number
- Interprets in the first person
- Renders everything, adds nothing
- Keeps every call confidential
Confidential by design
Sensitive calls stay between the people on them
Claim details, account and payment information, case files, benefit records, and health information come up on interpreted calls every day. Every call runs under the same controls.
- ISO/IEC 27001 certifiedAn audited information security management system.
- Bound by confidentialityEvery interpreter signs a confidentiality agreement and follows a professional code of ethics.
- Safeguards for your sectorSecure handling of financial, legal, and case information, Business Associate Agreements for healthcare clients, and cleared interpreters for sensitive government calls.
- Language access supportQualified interpreters that support Title VI, state and local language access laws, and healthcare requirements.
Reporting and billing
Every minute, accounted for
Each department dials with its own access code, so you can see who uses interpreters, for which languages, and how much. Invoices itemize every call, ready for your cost centers and audits.
- Per-minute billing for the time an interpreter is on your call.
- Department access codes that map to your cost centers.
- Language trends that show where to add translated materials or bilingual staff.
- Human services1,240 minSpanish
- Courts610 minVietnamese
- Public health480 minSpanish
- Utility billing395 minArabic
- Permits and licensing210 minSomali
Channels
Phone, video, or in person: choose the right channel
Many organizations use all three. We help you decide which conversations belong on which channel.
Phone (OPI)
Best for Quick, audio-only conversations, call centers, and after-hours needs
You are hereVideo (VRI)
Best for Conversations where faces, gestures, or documents matter, and sign language
Learn about video interpretingOn-site
Best for Long, sensitive, or complex conversations where an interpreter should be in the room
Learn about on-site interpreting
Get started
Your team could be dialing an interpreter this week
We set up your account, issue access codes for each department, and give your staff a quick-reference card to keep by the phone. Short training sessions show them how to work with an interpreter.
Need an interpreter?Keep this card by your phone
- 1Dial your dedicated toll-free number
- 2Enter access code 4127 (Customer service)
- 3Choose the language, or press 0 for any other
- 4Note the interpreter’s ID number for your records
Tip: speak in short sentences and talk to the caller, not the interpreter.
Example card. Your number and codes are issued at setup.
Related services
More ways to bridge languages live
One partner for every interpreting channel.
FAQ
Over-the-phone interpreting questions, answered
Don’t see your question? A language specialist can answer it in one call.
Talk to a specialist
Get a straight answer
Tell us what you need translated or interpreted, and we’ll scope it with you.
Meet one-on-one with a language services expert, at a time that suits you.
What is over-the-phone interpreting (OPI)?
Over-the-phone interpreting connects you and a person who speaks another language with a professional interpreter by phone. The interpreter joins the call and interprets everything each side says. It is the fastest way to communicate across languages for customer calls, insurance claims, public services, legal intake, school calls, and appointments, with no equipment beyond a phone.
How does phone interpretation work?
Your staff dial a dedicated toll-free number, enter their department access code, and choose the language from a menu or ask an operator for any language not listed. The interpreter joins, introduces themselves with an ID number, and interprets the conversation. For in-person conversations, use a speakerphone; for calls, the interpreter joins as a third party.
How fast can I connect to a phone interpreter?
Our average connection time is under 30 seconds from dial-in to an interpreter on the line. Common languages usually connect fastest; less common languages can take a little longer, depending on the time of day and call volume. Your usage reports show connect times on your own account.
How much do over-the-phone interpreting services cost?
OPI is usually billed per minute for the time an interpreter is on your call. Rates depend on the language, your monthly volume, and any scheduled or specialized services. We provide a clear rate card with your proposal, so you know exactly how calls will be billed.
What is the difference between OPI and VRI?
Over-the-phone interpreting is audio only and works from any phone, which makes it fast and widely available. Video remote interpreting adds video, so the interpreter can see faces, gestures, and documents, and it is required for sign language. Many organizations use phone interpreting for quick calls and video for longer or more visual conversations.
Can I add an interpreter to a call that is already in progress?
Yes. You can conference an interpreter into a call that is already under way, or ask the interpreter to dial out to the person you need to reach. We show your staff how to do both during setup and training.
Are phone interpreters available 24/7 in every language?
Interpreters for the most requested languages are available around the clock, every day of the year. Rare languages are available on demand in many cases, and can also be scheduled in advance to guarantee availability. Tell us which languages your callers speak and we will plan coverage around them.
Does phone interpreting support language access requirements?
Yes. Professional phone interpreting gives you qualified interpreters, which supports language access obligations such as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act for federally funded programs, state and local language access laws, court and agency requirements, and Section 1557 for healthcare providers. Requirements depend on your organization, so review them with your compliance team. We can provide documentation for your language access program.
Are your phone interpreters confidential?
Yes. Every interpreter is bound by a confidentiality agreement and a professional code of ethics, and our information security management system is certified to ISO/IEC 27001. That covers claim details, account and payment information, legal matters, and case records. For healthcare clients, we also apply HIPAA-aligned safeguards and sign a Business Associate Agreement.
Can I schedule a phone interpreter in advance?
Yes. Scheduled phone interpreting is ideal for planned calls such as claims interviews, hearings, parent conferences, and appointments, and for rare languages. You choose the date, time, and language, and the interpreter is ready when the call begins.
Tell us what’s at stake. We’ll show you how we’d handle it.
Send your files or describe your event. A language specialist replies with a fixed quote and a delivery date, with no obligation.
Prefer to call? 720-325-0459