WORCESTER — A new accessibility service aimed at improving communication for Deaf customers has launched at a Spectrum retail location in Worcester, part of a broader national rollout expected to expand across the country this year.
Spectrum announced that its virtual American Sign Language interpretation service is now available at its store at 68 Stafford St., allowing customers to connect with a live interpreter during in-store visits.
The service is designed to allow Deaf customers to communicate directly with store staff in real time. Customers can scan a QR code using their personal device, which connects them to a live ASL interpreter who facilitates conversations about products, services, billing questions or account updates, according to the announcement.
For many Deaf customers, routine store visits often involve handwritten notes or typed messages, which can limit communication. The virtual ASL service is intended to create a more natural conversation experience, the company said.
“Our goal is simple: when someone walks into a Spectrum store, they should feel supported,” said Peter Brown, GVP, Agency and Accessibility at Spectrum, in the announcement. “Delivering great service means designing experiences that work for all of our customers and reflect the care and attention they expect from us.”
Spectrum first tested the virtual ASL service in Rochester, New York, in 2024 before expanding to Austin, Los Angeles and New York City in 2025. The company said it plans to extend the service to 34 additional communities in 2026, with a goal of reaching more than 90 Spectrum stores nationwide by the end of the year.
The Worcester location is among those selected as part of that expansion, with the rollout focused on communities with significant Deaf populations, according to the announcement.
The initiative is part of Spectrum’s broader accessibility efforts. The company noted that it was named to Forbes’ inaugural Accessibility 100 list in 2025 and received the American Foundation for the Blind’s Helen Keller Achievement Award in 2023. Spectrum also offers a dedicated support team trained to assist customers with disabilities and provides accessibility features through its Spectrum Access app, including audio description and closed captioning for more than 1,000 movie and television titles.
Spectrum is a communications services brand offered by Charter Communications, which provides broadband, mobile, television and voice services to millions of customers across 41 states, according to the announcement.
