HLAA Convention Exhibit Hall - Part 1

- Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)
- Sorenson
- Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS)
- Panasonic

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Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)

This trade associaion based in Arlington, Virginia for the information, communications and entertainment technology industry is a leader in standards development and policy on the national and international level. I talked with TIA's Steve Whitesell of V-Tech about the TIA Label Survey being conducted at the HLAA Convention.

One of the NVRC News readers had asked about a request for survey responses we ran, which originally was publicized by HLAA. The survey asked people for their preferences for two symbols, one to show telephones for use with hearing and t-coils and the other for telephones compatible with hearing aid t-coils. The reader wanted to know why a new symbol was being considered when there is already an international one in use.

Whitesell explained that the current international symbol uses the "slashed ear" sign, which many people who are deaf and hard of hearing have an adverse reaction to. It can be interpreted as "can't hear" or "can't listen" instead of the positive about access that helps use your hearing to its advantage.

Of the six symbols in the original survey, the two most popular ones in each category are now being voted on to select the final design. The top vote getter for both categories in the first survey is already being used in museums and elsewhere to indicate assistive listening systems. The second place vote getter is also being use already for cell phone compatibility labeling.

For more information: http://www.tiaonline.org

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Sorenson

I talked with Rob Puzey, Sorenson Product Manager/Business Development Guy. He's got a big group here to help demonstrate Sorenson IP Relay (SIPRelay). This free, text-based relay service works with either your mobile device running AOL Instant Messenger such as Sidekick, BlackBerry, Treo, or your computer. A wireless or Internet connection will get you to SIPRelay while you're at home or on the go. Unlike TTY, you don't need to type GA or SK when you finish typing your end of a conversation.

Of special interest to people with hearing loss who want to use their own voice or residual hearing is SIPRelay's voice carry over feature. You can conduct a call as you normally would be get captioning of the other party's voice.

For more information about SIPRelay and SIPRelay VCO: http://www.siprelay.com

Sorenson, along with Advanced Bionics and InSight Cinema, is sponsoring a free showing of the new Steve Carell/Morgan Freeman movie "Evan Almighty" tomorrow night at the Harkins Bricktown Cinema a few blocks away. What a treat, to see this Universal Pictures film on its day of release with open captions. Free popcorn and a soft drink are also being provided. Free tickets are available at the three companies' booths while they last.

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Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS)

I spoke with Jim Turner, who is with the US-based body committed to rapidly developing and promoting technical and operations standards for the communications and related information technologies industry worldwide. The ATIS Center of Excellence is located in Washington, DC.

Jim showed me this interesting resource for consumers, a website for locating hearing aid compatible phones at http://www.phonescoop.com.
Select Phone Finder
Select Show All Options
Scroll, then keep scrolling down until you find Hearing Aid Compatibility
Give it a click!

For more info about Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions: http://www.atis.org

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Panasonic

I spoke with Wayne Borg, who introduced me to access features for people with hearing loss in Panasonic's line of cordless phones. Does anybody remember the Bone Fone of about a decade ago? I was tickled to see Panasonic, a long-time equipment manufacturer, now offers a bone conduction handset.

Here are some special features their phones offer, along with the model number:

Bone Conduction Handset (uses vibrations to transmit sound) -- Model KX-TG2388

Amplified Handset -- Model KXD-TG2386

Hearing Aid Compatible Headset -- Model KX-TCA88H

Voice Enhancer (creates voice that is easy to hear and understand) -- Models KX-TG2386, 2322, 2302)

Light-Up Indicator with Ringer/Message alert (flashes quickly to show incoming call, slowly to let you know you have a new message) -- Models KX-TG2386, 2388)

Telecoil Mode (Model KX-TG2386)

Most of these models also have a headset jack, to which you can add their KX-TCA88HA headphones to make it hearing aid compatible.

For more information - Customer Service: http://www.panasonic.com/support
1-877-833-8855 TTY
1-800-211-PANA

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