Some people using hearing aid devices may experience difficulty when using a wireless phone. The wireless industry and consumer groups representing the hearing impaired have been studying this matter and are developing solutions to reduce the likelihood of these difficulties. In addition, the Federal Communications Commission has set forth requirements for wireless carriers and the wireless device manufacturers.

In general, a hearing aid operates by using a microphone to pick up sound waves in the air and convert the sound waves to electrical signals. The signals are amplified as needed and then converted back to audible sounds for the user to hear. The hearing aid’s microphone, however, does not always work well in conjunction with audio devices like headsets and telephone handsets.

To see a list of hearing aid compatible devices and their ratings, please refer to chart below.

There are two different ratings to consider when picking out your hearing aid compatible device:

Microphone Standard (M-Ratings) – Reduced Hearing Aid Device Interference

Handsets that receive a hearing aid compatibility rating of M3 or M4 have met or exceeded the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) hearing aid compatibility standard as adopted by the Federal Communications Commission.

M3 Rating indicates the handset has satisfied the ANSI standard

M4 Rating indicates the handset has exceeded the ANSI standard

The higher the M-Rating the handset has, the lower the Radio Frequency emissions level and higher quality signal the handset will have. If there is no M-Rating, the handset does not meet the ANSI standard. The handset’s M-Rating, along with the hearing aid’s M-Rating, will assist you in finding a handset that best suits your needs.

Telecoil Standard (T-Ratings) – Compatible with Hearing Aid Telecoils

Handsets that receive a hearing aid compatibility rating of T3 or T4 have met or exceeded the required standard as adopted by the Federal Communications Commission.

T3 Rating indicates the handset has satisfied the ANSI standard

T4 Rating indicates the handset has exceeded the ANSI standard

The telecoil rating is in reference to telecoils in some hearing aids, the telecoil is a small device that is built into some hearing aids for use with listening devices. Not all hearing aids have telecoils. To use the telecoil, generally, either the hearing aid is switched to the “T” position or a button on the hearing aid is pushed to select the telecoil setting.

Try Before You Buy

Because user experiences are highly individualized, BTC Broadband suggests that customers visit our location at 11134 S. Memorial Drive to find out more about our hearing aid compatible devices.