Telephone and video interpreting

What remote interpreting is good for

Most interpreting does not need the interpreter in the room. A solicitor taking instructions, a GP telephone appointment, a job interview, a meeting with a Turkish supplier, a social-services review, a short court hearing where the judge has allowed remote interpretation: all of these work well by video or telephone, can be set up quickly, and cost less because there is no travel. Remote is our default for every interpreting service we offer; in-person attendance is the exception, arranged in London subject to availability.

Pre-booked, not on demand

We are not a 24-hour on-demand telephone line. Bookings are made in advance, usually confirmed within a working day, and the interpreter is chosen for the setting and briefed. If you need an interpreter on the line within minutes at any hour, an on-demand provider is the right choice; if you need the right interpreter for a known appointment, that is what we do. Same-day remote bookings are often possible during UK working hours; ask by WhatsApp and we will answer quickly.

Platforms

• Video: Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, and the video platforms used by courts, tribunals, the NHS and the Home Office, where the interpreter joins with the link you send. We can also host the call on our own video room if you have no platform.
• Telephone: a three-way call set up by you or by us, or the interpreter dialling into a conference number. Works for GP appointments, benefit assessments and calls with Turkish banks and authorities.
• Remote simultaneous: for online events and training, on platforms with an interpretation channel, with a team of two interpreters.

Making a remote session work

1. Book with the date, time, expected duration, platform and setting, and send any documents the interpreter should read. For a hearing or formal interview, tell us who is chairing and whether the session is recorded.
2. Use a headset or a quiet room; background noise is the main cause of missed words. On video, keep the camera on the person speaking, because interpreters read lips and expressions.
3. Speak in short passages and pause. The interpreter interprets in the first person, everything that is said, and will ask for repetition rather than guess.
4. For three-way calls with a Turkish authority or bank, allow for time-zone differences; Türkiye is two hours ahead of the UK in summer and three in winter, and Ankara-based interpreters are available early in the UK morning.

What it costs

From £45 per hour with a one-hour minimum, then 15-minute increments, with no travel or waiting charges. Simultaneous online sessions are quoted per session for a team of two. Cancellation with two working days’ notice is free; later cancellation is charged at the minimum booking. No UK VAT is charged. Regular users (solicitors, clinics, schools, companies) are invoiced monthly on account.

Recording and confidentiality

Sessions are not recorded by us. If you record, all parties including the interpreter must be told and agree, and for court and tribunal sessions the court’s rules apply. Interpreters work under a confidentiality undertaking and the codes of their professional registers; call details are deleted after the retention period in our data protection policy.

Languages

Turkish and English as standard; Kurmanji and Sorani with a little more notice. For a call that will also need documents, our certified translation service can prepare them beforehand so both sides have the same text.