Cell Phones
These days, it seems that everyone is using a cell
phone. You see people using them in their cars, in restaurants, walking
down the street, etc. Do any of these people have hearing loss?
If you're looking for information about specific mobile
phones or where to buy them, please visit the Mobile
Phone area of our Resource Directory.
You might also be interested in checking out the Cellular
Telecommunications and Internet Association, which represents
all elements of wireless communications. Perhaps of most interest to
people with hearing loss is their great information on compatibility
between wireless phones and hearing aids.
Below are links to several articles regarding
compatibility between mobile phones and hearing aids or CIs. For
additional information, please see the Mobile
Phone Access portion of our Issues section.
Until recently, people who rely on their telecoil
(T-coil) have not been able to use a cell phone, because they don't
produce enough magnetic flux to drive the T-coil. However, Nokia
has introduced a neckloop that provides T-coil compatibility with some
of their cell phones. Our buddy Curtis has researched this and reports
on HA Compatible Cell Phones.
August
2000 - It looks like cell phones are here to stay!! Here's a writeup by
Cheryl Heppner of NVRC of the Cell Phone and Hearing
Aids workshop at the recent SHHH convention.
August 2001 - Have you tried using a cell
phone with your hearing aid? How about with a TTY? Did it work well or
not? Did you know that there are compatibility issues between some
devices for people with hearing loss and some cell phones? This article
about cell phone compatibility
with aids and TTYs should help you learn more about a very
complicated topic.
November
2001 - Wireless phones - hmmmm? can people with hearing loss use
wireless phones? Even someone who's totally deaf can put a wireless
phone to good use - just not for transmitting voice! Learn how a
wireless phone can help you in the
wireless wave.
February 2002 - It's pretty common knowledge that many digital cell phones
are not hearing aid compatible, but fewer people are aware that many
cell phones are not currently TTY-compatible. It seems that the TTY
compatibility issue is an easier one to solve, because the resolution
will be in place by June 30 of this year. (No resolution of the hearing
aid compatibility issue is currently in sight.) Here's
more on TTY
compatibility from CNET News.
July 2003 - The FCC FINALLY did it! They mandated digital
wireless phones that are accessible to people with hearing aids and
cochlear implants!
November 2003 - I think the FCC may be on a roll here! Now they've
mandated wireless phone number portability!
November 2003 - OK, so some cell phones will become compatible with
some hearing aids in the next two or three years. What does this mean to
you? Here's Linda
Kozma-Spytek of the Gallaudet Telecommunications RERC with answers to
your questions!
October 2004 - There's been a long controversy regarding
cell phone use causing cancer. Now there seems to be some evidence that
long
term cell phone use can cause acoustic neuromas - which cause deafness!
October 2005 - Looking for a hearing aid
compatible cell phone? Here's how to find one!
June 2006 - Teens evade rules with a ring tone adults
can't hear
October 2006 - ALDAcon
2006 Presentation - Introduction to mobile phones
March 2007 - Speech Recognition
Empowers Cell Phones
April 2007 - More
HAC Cell Phones Coming
April 2007 - Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) and
Wireless Devices
May 2007 - TIA Publishes Standard for
Improving HAC
June 2007 - Why would anyone want an inaudible
ringtone?
July 2007 -
Here's our report on the cell phone workshop at the 2007 HLAA
convention.
July 2007 - Hearing Aids to Indicate
Cell Phone Compatibility Rating
November 2007 -
FCC Supports
Adoption of ATIS Hearing Aid Compatibility Incubator Recommendations
February 2008 -
Analog Cell
Phone Sunset
February 2008 -
Study of
Cell Phone Accessibility Published
April 2008 - Clarity unveils cell phone for
seniors
February 2009 - How to Buy a Cell Phone when You
Have a Hearing Loss
April 2009 - Doro Launches New Mobile Phones
Designed for Baby Boomers & Active Seniors
August 2009 -
2009 HLAA Convention: The Wireless Industry: What's Available? What's
Right for You?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Editor: Since the breakup of AT&T way back when, people have been
able to easily switch their local phone service provider. Several years
ago, the providers in my area were competing for business and would
offer incentives for people to switch. Some of my friends switched two
or three times in a year or so and collected some nice gifts. And they
always kept the same phone number.
Wireless phones haven't worked that way; when you change carriers you
get a new phone number. That's one of the reasons people have been
locked into staying with the same carrier, and I think it has helped
sustain high prices.
That's all changing on November 24 in the top 100 metropolitan areas
in the US. As of that date, the FCC is requiring the service providers
to implement number portability across carriers. I've seen predictions
that as many as 30 million people will switch carriers within a couple
of months of that date.
The switch will require people to buy new phones, because the
carriers tend to us proprietary encryption techniques. So there will
probably be 30 million used phones floating around. That could lead to
some good prices on nice used phones! And don't forget that old cell
phones without service can still be used to call "911", so
they could be good emergency phones. Just remember to keep those
batteries charged!
Here's the brief note from the FCC.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For years, consumers with wireline phones have been able to switch
from one local carrier to another in the same geographical area without
having to change their phone number. Now, this service will be available
to wireless phone customers as well.
Under the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) wireless
"local number portability" (LNP) rules, you can switch
wireless carriers and keep your existing phone number within the same
local geographical area where it is currently assigned.
On November 24, 2003, wireless carriers in the top 100 Metropolitan
Statistical Areas (MSAs) must implement this program. We will be sending
out more information on this important development gets nearer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 2006
In that
old battle of the wills between young people and their keepers, the young
have found a new weapon that could change the balance of power on the cell
phone front: a ring tone that many adults cannot hear. In settings where
cell phone use is forbidden -- in class, for example -- it is perfect for
signaling the arrival of a text message without being detected by an elder
of the species. "When I heard about it, I didn't believe it at first,"
said Donna Lewis, a technology teacher at the Trinity School in New York
City. "But one of the kids gave me a copy, and I sent it to a colleague.
She played it for her first-graders. All of them could hear it, and
neither she nor I could."
Full Story
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/273542_ringtone12.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 2007
Are you struggling [with] what those T1 to T4
ratings for cell phone and hearing aid compatibility mean, or how the
values are derived? This article is designed to help you understand
these issues. The use of wireless devices for both personal and business
applications continues to rise exponentially in developed and now in
many emerging countries. Mobile phone use now exceeds 2 billion
customers worldwide, and the market is rapidly approaching 3 billion.
Increased capability is being added everywhere to mobile phones. Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 2007
The tone, which is similar to the ringing in your
ears (called tinnitus) after being surrounded by loud music or machinery,
is inaudible to most older ears because of the high frequency of the
sound. It's a noise, or more politely, a buzz, which comes from the
Bluetooth-enabled cell phones of teenagers who want to text message during
class without teacher intervention. . . . Sloan, an incoming sophomore at
Deshler High School, says that the tone "hurts after a while" but makes
text messaging at school a lot easier.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 2008
Chattanooga-based Clarity on Tuesday unveiled a
cell phone aimed at people over 65 who have vision and hearing loss.
"Mobile phones have not been designed to meet the needs of the millions of
aging Americans," said Carsten Trads, the company's president. The phone,
dubbed ClarityLife, features a large display with prominent buttons. It
also amplifies incoming sound by up to 20 decibel, according to the
company which debuted the phone at a Las Vegas wireless conference. In
addition, the phone is equipped with a one-touch emergency response
button. When activated, it will call and send text messages to five
pre-programmed numbers.
Full Story
