Soon, you will be able to dial 9-8-8 to reach a mental health crisis and suicide prevention hotline. This service will be available in the United States starting on July 16, 2022. 9-8-8 is not available yet in Canada, but help is still available. Adults can text 741741 and youth can text 686868. Quebec residents can text 1-855-957-5353. You can also call Canada’s suicide prevention service at 1-833-456-4566. About Iristel Iristel is Canada’s fastest-growing Competitive Local Exchange Carrier providing innovative communication services that are changing how consumers and businesses communicate. Founded in 1999, Markham-based Iristel operates Canada’s largest facilities-based local voice network extending Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast. It also owns Ice Wireless, an LTE-A carrier with operations in Canada’s northern territories and Quebec. Iristel also owns brands such as Sugar Mobile, an Over-the-Top (OTT) app where phone calls and text messages can be transmitted through data, and Télécommunications de l’Est (TDE), a company that operates a Nomad mobile network, a unique two-way radio digital trunking network built to meet the specific needs of Canada’s rural regions. For more information: www.iristel.com pr@iristel.com or call 416-800-0010

Iristel enables more than 7 million phone numbers for thousands of telecom and technology companies around the world. And in the wake of higher volumes in unwanted telemarketing and spam phone calls, the CRTC and Canada’s telecom service providers have begun to take some more hard-hitting measures to protect Canadians. In a first-of-its-kind move against unwanted calls, Iristel has created a system in which users of Iristel phone numbers can report and block other Iristel-provided phone numbers. “We are the first Telco in Canada to specifically block an abuser from contacting a user when the abuser is using a service provided by Iristel,” [CEO] Mr. Bishay added. “We hear from exasperated and angry Canadians all the time about these annoying calls and that’s why we’ve launched this new, easy-to-use, anti-spam website.”  Here’s how it works: to report unwanted calls, go to iristel.com/antispam and report the number by filling out the form and we will investigate, take action, if appropriate, and report back on what we did. Read the full press release here: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/new-iristel-service-stops-spam-phone-calls-891505941.html