- Cell phones use digital technology that emits radio frequencies and electromagnetic radiation. For this reason, cell phone activity can often interfere with a hearing aid, causing buzzing, humming or whining sounds that make it difficult to understand what someone is saying on the other end of the phone call. To cope with these interferences, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) passed the Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988 that set a mandated rating system for cell phones.
- The FCC-mandated rating system provides a Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) scale for each cell phone, to show how much interference a person with a hearing aid might experience when using that phone. To determine the HAC of each phone, the phone's compatibility is given for a hearing aid in microphone mode (M) and in telecoil coupling mode (T). Each rating is given a number on a scale from one to four, with one being the poorest and four being the best. Only phones with ratings of M3 or M4 and T3 or T4 are considered compatible with hearing aids.
- Many hearing aid companies also provide a microphone and telecoil rating system so that you can determine how resistant each type of hearing aid is to radio frequency levels. If the hearing aid receives a rating of M2 and T2 or higher, this is a sufficient rating to work well with a cell phone that provides ratings of M3 and T3 or higher. Whether you are picking out a new hearing aid or you already own a hearing aid, ask your audiologist if a rating is available. You can also check with the manufacturer of the hearing aid to find out.
- If a cell phone you are looking at doesn't provide a HAC rating, ask the salesperson to determine what type of transmission technology it uses. According to HearingLossHelp.com, CDMA tends to be the most compatible with hearing aids, while GSM tends to be the least compatible. Also, all cell phone stores must allow you to test the phone and see how well it works with your hearing aid. However, even if you don't experience interference in the store, you might experience it at home or in other locations. HearingLossHelp.com recommends you make sure you have a grace period to return your phone.
- According to the AT&T website, of the more than 2 million hearing aids sold in 2004, 60 to 80 percent of them were designed to decrease the interference they have with cell phones. As this number increases, the wireless industry is also continually inventing new technologies that increase compatibility of cell phones with hearing aids and for anyone with hearing disabilities. Text messaging is one form of updated technology that allows people to communicate without verbal conversations with interferences, and other interactive technologies are being tested as well.
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