Loading ...
Loading ...
Loading ...
96
Safety
FCC Hearing-Aid Compatibility (HAC) Regulations for
Wireless Devices
OnJuly10,2003,theU.S.FederalCommunicationsCommission(FCC)Reportand
OrderinWTDocket01-309modifiedtheexceptionofwirelessphonesunderthe
HearingAidCompatibilityActof1988(HACAct)torequiredigitalwirelessphones
becompatiblewithhearing-aids.TheintentoftheHACActistoensurereasonable
accesstotelecommunicationsservicesforpersonswithhearingdisabilities.While
somewirelessphonesareusednearsomehearingdevices(hearingaidsandcochlear
implants),usersmaydetectabuzzing,humming,orwhiningnoise.Somehearing
devicesaremoreimmunethanotherstothisinterferencenoise,andphonesalso
varyintheamountofinterferencetheygenerate.Thewirelesstelephoneindustryhas
developedaratingsystemforwirelessphones,toassisthearingdeviceuserstofind
phonesthatmaybecompatiblewiththeirhearingdevices.Notallphoneshavebeen
rated.Phonesthatareratedhavetheratingontheirboxoralabellocatedonthebox.
Theratingsarenotguarantees.Resultswillvarydependingontheuser'shearing
deviceandhearingloss.Ifyourhearingdevicehappenstobevulnerabletointerference,
youmaynotbeabletousearatedphonesuccessfully.Tryingoutthephonewithyour
hearingdeviceisthebestwaytoevaluateitforyourpersonalneeds.
M-Ratings:PhonesratedM3orM4meetFCCrequirementsandarelikelytogenerate
lessinterferencetohearingdevicesthanphonesthatarenotlabeled.M4isthebetter/
higherofthetworatings.
T-Ratings:PhonesratedT3orT4meetFCCrequirementsandarelikelytogenerate
lessinterferencetohearingdevicesthanphonesthatarenotlabeled.T4isthebetter/
higherofthetworatings.
Hearingdevicesmayalsoberated.Yourhearingdevicemanufacturerorhearinghealth
professionalmayhelpyoufindthisrating.Higherratingsmeanthatthehearingdevice
isrelativelyimmunetointerferencenoise.Thehearingaidandwirelessphonerating
valuesarethenaddedtogether.Asumof5isconsideredacceptablefornormaluse.A
sumof6isconsideredforbestuse.
Loading ...
Loading ...
Loading ...