Telephone interpreting, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Over-the-phone interpreting (OPI) connects you with a professional interpreter in more than 350 languages, typically within seconds, whenever a conversation cannot wait.
Telephone interpreting needs nothing more than a phone. The interpreter joins as a third party on the call, either with everyone on the line from different places or with you and the other speaker in the same room using a speakerphone. It suits short, urgent or unplanned conversations where seeing each other is not essential.
The service runs 24/7, every day of the year, and you can connect from a landline, a mobile or the SILA Linguists app on Google Play and the App Store. Calls are confidential and handled on secure systems, and the interpreter you reach is a qualified linguist with relevant subject knowledge.
For organisations with regular or high-volume needs, such as contact centres, healthcare providers and local services, telephone interpreting offers a scalable way to cover many languages without booking interpreters in advance.
Why choose SILA Linguists for telephone (opi)
Connection within seconds
On-demand calls typically connect to an interpreter within seconds, so urgent conversations are not delayed.
Round-the-clock availability
The service runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including evenings, weekends and public holidays.
350+ languages and dialects
Widely spoken and less common languages are covered, including many regional dialects.
Pre-booked or on demand
Call when you need an interpreter now, or schedule a call in advance for planned appointments and longer conversations.
App or phone line
Connect from any phone or use the SILA Linguists app, which also offers video interpreting.
No travel, no minimum distance
There is no travel time, which makes professional interpreting practical for even brief calls.
Telephone interpreting with SILA Linguists®, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Over-the-phone interpreting from SILA Linguists® connects you to a professional interpreter whenever a conversation cannot wait: a GP triage call, an out-of-hours mental health crisis, a claimant reporting a loss, a tenant ringing about an eviction notice. OPI suits NHS and private healthcare teams, insurers and claims handlers, banks and financial services contact centres, charities and helplines and council customer services, because it is immediate, it needs no equipment beyond a phone, and it works for three-way calls with a client who is somewhere else. Calls can be pre-booked for a set time, too, when a GP or solicitor wants the same interpreter for a series of conversations.
The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by direct dial or through the SILA Linguists® app on Android and iPhone. Interpreters are matched by language and subject knowledge, so a call about a court date reaches a linguist who knows legal terminology and a call about medication reaches one who knows clinical vocabulary. Our telephone interpreting languages include Polish, Romanian, Arabic, Bengali, Somali and Dari, and we cover more than 350 languages and dialects for organisations in the UK, North America, Australia, New Zealand and beyond.
Telephone interpreting is often the first step. When a conversation needs to see faces, we move it to video remote interpreting; when it needs a person in the room, we book a face-to-face interpreter. Documents that come up during the call can go to certified translation, recorded calls can be handled by our transcription team, and asylum and immigration matters can draw on language analysis. Calls are confidential, and every interpreter works under NDA and UK GDPR.
Step by step
Set up access
Contact us to arrange access for your organisation or download the SILA Linguists app.
Call and choose the language
Dial in or use the app and state the language you need. For planned calls, book a time in advance.
Interpreter joins
A qualified interpreter joins the call, introduces themselves and interprets the conversation consecutively.
Ongoing support
Our team is available to adjust your set-up, add languages or arrange video or on-site interpreting when a conversation needs it.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can I reach an interpreter?
On-demand calls typically connect within seconds. For rare languages or long conversations, pre-booking a time helps us secure the most suitable interpreter.
Can I use telephone interpreting with someone sitting next to me?
Yes. Put the call on speaker or use a dual-handset phone so that you and the other speaker can both hear the interpreter.
Are calls confidential?
Yes. Interpreters are bound by confidentiality, calls are handled on secure systems, and we work in line with GDPR. NDAs are available for sensitive work.
When is telephone interpreting not the right choice?
If visual cues matter, if the conversation is long and complex, or if the person needs sign language, consider video remote or face-to-face interpreting instead.
Tell us the language, the format and the date
Our bookings team will confirm the details with you and arrange the right linguist. Have the language (and dialect, if you know it), the type of assignment and the date ready.