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FCC Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC)
Regulations for Wireless Devices
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has
established requirements for digital wireless mobile devices to be
compatible with hearing aids and other assistive hearing devices.
When individuals employing some assistive hearing devices
(hearing aids and cochlear implants) use wireless mobile
devices, they may detect a buzzing, humming, or whining noise.
Some hearing devices are more immune than others to this
interference noise, and mobile devices also vary in the amount of
interference they generate.
The wireless telephone industry has developed a rating system
for wireless mobile devices to assist hearing device users find
mobile devices that may be compatible with their hearing
devices. Not all mobile devices have been rated. Mobile devices
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 mobile device successfully. Trying out the mobile
device with your hearing device is the best way to evaluate it for
your personal needs.
M-Ratings
: Wireless mobile devices rated M3 or M4 meet FCC
requirements and are likely to generate less interference to
hearing devices than mobile devices that are not labeled. M4 is
the better/higher of the two ratings. M-ratings refer to enabling
acoustic coupling with hearing aids that do not operate in telecoil
mode.
T-Ratings
: Mobile devices rated T3 or T4 meet FCC requirements
and are likely to generate less interference to hearing devices
than mobile devices that are not labeled. T4 is the better/higher
of the two ratings. T-ratings refer to enabling inductive coupling
with hearing aids operating in telecoil mode.
Hearing devices may also be rated. Your hearing aid
manufacturer or hearing health professional may help you find
this rating. Higher ratings mean that the hearing device is
relatively immune to interference noise.
Under the current industry standard, American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) C63.19, the hearing aid and wireless
mobile device rating values are added together to indicate how
usable they are together. For example, if a hearing aid meets the
M2 level rating and the wireless mobile device meets the M3
level rating, the sum of the two values equals M5.