These roles facilitate communication between individuals who speak different languages via telephone. They involve listening to a speaker in one language and conveying the meaning accurately and fluently in another, and vice versa. A typical scenario includes connecting an interpreter to a call between a doctor and a patient who do not share a common language.
The ability to provide immediate linguistic assistance, regardless of location, is a crucial aspect of these positions. The remote nature enables access to language support in situations where in-person interpretation is not feasible or cost-effective. This capability has been particularly important during events impacting travel, like health crises, as the demand for remote language services has grown significantly. Historically, this type of interpreting emerged as technology advanced, providing a cost-effective alternative to on-site services.