Currently, Motorola and Kyocera both state that their handsets are hearing aid compatible (HAC). In order to assure compatibility with your hearing aid, you will want to test it with the specific phone model you are considering.

In order to assure compatibility, it is recommended to use one of the HAC compatible devices with your phone.  For example, there are T-Coils (a device hung around the neck) available for most phones.  Also, there are HAC headsets available for all phones.  There is an additional cost for these items.

Inland Cellular, the wireless industry and the Federal Communications Commission are taking steps to make handsets compatible with hearing aids without accessories.

Please see an Account Rep or give us a call for more information.

Making Phones Compatible By Utilizing HAC Accessories
In general, a hearing aid operates by using a microphone to pick up sound waves in the air and convert the sound waves to electrical signals. The signals are then amplified as needed and converted back to audible sounds for the user to hear. The hearing aid's microphone, however, does not always work well in conjunction with audio devices like headsets and telephone handsets. The acoustic connection made between the audio device and the hearing aid is poor and creates distortions in the sound. In addition, the surrounding noise in the area of the user is often picked up by the hearing aid and interferes with the desired audio.

Since the audio signals in most devices are already electrical in nature, compatibility between such devices and hearing aids can best be achieved by introducing the signals from the device directly into the hearing aid. Therefore, in order for an audio device such as a wireless** handset or telephone to be hearing-aid compatible, the device must be able to transfer audio information from the device to the hearing aid without use of the hearing aid's built-in microphone. This transfer of electrical signals is accomplished by using a telephone coil or "T-Coil."

The T-coil is an electromagnetic coil that is mounted inside both the hearing aid and the audio device such as the telephone handset. It allows the signals to be coupled from the phone to the hearing aid without a wired electrical connection to the hearing aid and it avoids the problems that microphones would have.

The T-coil is a simple electrical component that is made to pick up almost any electromagnetic energy and it cannot discriminate between wanted and unwanted signals. Hearing-aid users who use a T-coil are familiar with other sources of interference such as fluorescent lighting, TV screens, computer monitors and other sources of electromagnetic energy. Most users know that placing some distance between the hearing aid and the source of the interference can significantly reduce or eliminate the interference.
Achieving hearing-aid compatibility in a wireless environment presents special problems. The wireless handset is a transmitter, which emits electromagnetic energy. When the wireless transmitter is in close proximity to the T-coil, this energy is received by the T-coil as noise, which interferes with the ability to hear, desired audio signals. The extent to which a wireless transmitter interferes with a hearing aid varies depending on a number of factors. These include:

• Design and capabilities of the hearing aid.
• Amount the hearing aid amplifies the audio signal (generally the greater the hearing loss the more the signal must be amplified and the greater the potential for interference).
• Distance of the transmitter from the hearing aid.
• Strength of the signal from the transmitter (the transmitter output generally increases as the transmitter gets further from the receiving cell site), and the wireless technology used.

Notwithstanding these factors, analog wireless handsets equipped with a T-coil can generally achieve compatibility with T-coil- equipped hearing aids with minimal interference. This is because analog phones transmit electromagnetic energy constantly at a fairly steady rate. Digital wireless handsets, on the other hand, pose greater interference problems. Unlike analog handsets, digital phones do not transmit energy constantly. Rather, these devices' transmitters turn on and off at a very fast rate. As a result, the radio energy emitted fluctuates to a much greater extent and these fluctuations cause greater interference into the hearing aid.

The degree to which digital wireless handsets can be made hearing-aid compatible depends on the presence of the factors listed above. Thus, one way for hearing-aid compatibility to be achieved for digital wireless handsets is if the hearing aid used is a hardened device that shields the T-coil from the energy emitted by the transmitter. However, since the vast majority of hearing aids in use are non-hardened, widespread compatibility is not possible at this time.

At this time, the other way for hearing-aid compatibility to be achieved for digital wireless devices is for the transmitter to be kept at a distance from the hearing aid. While keeping this distance is possible for wireless devices that use an earpiece that is separated from the transmitter (such as in car kits or in hands-free kits), the most popular digital wireless devices in use today are portable wireless handsets that are typically placed directly against the ear. With these devices, hearing aid - compatibility is not technologically feasible and compatibility can only be achieved by using external components. External devices are readily available that make otherwise non-compatible wireless devices compatible with hearing aids.
One key factor contributing to the interference caused by digital wireless handsets to hearing aids is the close proximity of the transmitter to the hearing aid. This interference can best be reduced or eliminated by moving the transmitter away from the ear. While most wireless devices in use today couple the transmitter with the earpiece thus requiring that the transmitter be placed directly against the ear, external devices are generally available that can make such devices usable by persons with hearing aids. These accessories contain a T-coil in a headset or earpiece and allow users access to phones while keeping the transmitter away from the hearing aid.

Plantronics Headset
One such product is a headset manufactured by Plantronics. The Plantronics headset has a microphone and earpiece just like any other headset, but it also has a T-coil that makes it hearing aid-compatible. The Plantronics headset is available today and is part of the Inland Cellular’s product line.

Making Phones Compatible Without HAC Accessories
Recognizing that the digital phones pose the greatest interference challenge, the FCC has established a 'grading system' that can be used by Inland Cellular's subscribers to predict the level of compatibility between a given digital handset model and hearing aids. The ratings standards are labeled U1 through U4, with U1 phones producing the most interference and U4 the least level of interference.  A wireless handset with a rating of U3 or higher should be compatible enough with a hearing aid so that no accessory would be required.  The FCC has set deadlines over the next three years for manufacturers to produce and carriers to sell digital handsets rated U3 or U4.

Manufacturers and the wireless industry are actively involved in resolving technologic issues that have barred the introduction of digital hearing aid compatible handsets. Until these issues are worked out carriers such as Inland Cellular are making available accessories that can make many handsets compatible with hearing aids. 

Answering Your HAC Questions
Inland Cellular is dedicated to identifying and providing hearing aid compatible handsets and accessories and ensuring that Inland customers are kept informed regarding advances in this area.  With this in mind, Inland Cellular's retail employees have been trained to provide informed advice on how best to make your handset hearing aid compatible.  Please contact an Inland Cellular retail employee at the Inland Cellular store closest to you for further information and written materials.  If you would rather ask your questions from your computer, please contact at cellinfo@inlandcellular.com.