RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) -The Federal Communications Commission announced new regulations mandating that all mobile phones be compatible with hearing aids, enhancing access to mobile technology for Americans with hearing loss. The agency approved the new regulations on October 17th.
According to the agency, all mobile phones have to meet volume control benchmarks.
People with hearing aids often hear unwanted noise when using non-compatible telephones or wireless handsets.
Under FCC guidelines, wireline and wireless phones certified as hearing aid compatible will help reduce noise and work better with the telecoils in many hearing aids.
Mobile companies must indicate on their websites whether their devices are compatible with hearing aids.
As technology evolves, these regulations are timely, especially given the advancements in Bluetooth connectivity for hearing aids.
“We saw Bluetooth on the horizon, but it took quite a long time for it to become a reality for hearing aid wearers to get that kind of direct auto streaming to their hearing aids, and now we have a new Bluetooth technology that is making that capability more universal,” said Linda Kozma-Spyte, Consultant of the Hearing Loss Association of America.
The FCC has not yet established a specific date for when the new regulations will be implemented. If you would like information about the hearing aid compatibility requirement, you can click here.
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