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Hearing aids have not previously always worked well with mobile phones, because of electronic interference between the 2 devices that triggered static, whistling or squealing noises, or dropped words. Technology enhancements along with new regulations have largely eliminated this issue.
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Silver State Hearing & Balance, Inc. | (775) 473-9378 | http://silverstatehearing.com
Discover more great content here: https://twitter.com/hearingnv
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A Hearing Aid Wearer’s Guide to Choosing Cell Phones
Hearing aids have not previously always worked
well with mobile phones, because of electronic
interference between the 2 devices that
triggered static, whistling or squealing noises,
or dropped words. Technology enhancements
along with new regulations have largely
eliminated this issue. Today cell phone –
hearing aid compatibility is not the huge
challenge it used to be. To help consumers shop
for the right hearing aid compatible cell phone, the new regulations include a
standard rating system and labeling requirement.
Understanding the rating system requires a bit of knowledge about the modes that
hearing aids can operate in. There is an M mode (which stands for microphone) and a
T mode (which stands for telecoil). When your hearing aid is in M mode, it uses the
built-in microphone to pick up audible sounds from around you and amplify them to
make them easier for you to hear. When the hearing aid is in T mode, instead of the
microphone it uses its built-in telecoil to directly pick up conversations from inside the
phone, in the form of electromagnetic signals. Currently, approximately 60% of
hearing aids sold in the U.S. have a telecoil or T mode.
The two modes – M and T – are each rated on a scale of 1 to 4 where 1 is the lowest
sensitivity and 4 is the highest. No mobile phone or cordless handset sold in the
United States can be sold as hearing aid compatible (HAC) unless it has a rating of at
least M3 or T3.
Hearing aids and cochlear implants have a similar M and T rating system to certify
how sensitive they are in each mode, and how resistant they are to radio frequency
interference. When shopping for a phone, to determine its compatibility with your
hearing aid, simply add its M and T ratings together with those of the phone to create
a combined rating. A combined rating of 6 or more is considered excellent, a hearing
Silver State Hearing & Balance, Inc. | (775) 473-9378 | http://silverstatehearing.com
Discover more great content here: https://twitter.com/hearingnv
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Silver-State-Hearing-and-Balance/216415745109616 http://www.youtube.com/user/silverstatehearing
http://www.pinterest.com/silverstatehear
aid/phone combination that would provide highly usable, interference-free
performance. A sum of 5 is considered normal and should work fine for typical cell
phone users. A sum of 4 is considered acceptable, but if you are a heavy cell phone
user, you may be disappointed or frustrated with this choice.
Since being introduced, the new rating system has made it much easier to shop for a
mobile phone online and determine its compatibility with your hearing aid in advance.
If you are able to shop in a store that allows you to “try before you buy” and actually
use the phone you want while wearing your hearing aid, that is of course a better
idea.