Should the Latest Hearing Aid Standards be Put in Cell Phones?

A great number of seniors are using hearing aids so I felt this issue is worthy of being posted in this blog on cell phones for the elderly. Recently, the Federal Communications Commission proposed that the latest hearing aid standards should be included in mobile phones as soon as possible.

Do you agree with this proposal? Before you answer that, let's take a closer look at this proposal.

The FCC wants cell phones to have the latest standards developed by ANSI (American National Standards Institute) for hearing-aid compatibility (HAC).

The handset's with hearing-aid compatibility that are currently in the market use a standard that was developed in 2007. This standard is compatible with devices in the 800MHz to 950MHz, and 1.6GHz to 2.5GHz spectrum bands. However, this year's proposal wants to include the 700MHz band. Other frequencies that are used in modern phones to support 4G and other wireless technologies are also included in the proposal.

Apparently, the new hearing-aid compatibility (HAC) standards is designed to ensure that consumers will not experience undue radio frequency interference with devices such as hearing aids.

The commission also plans to only grant HAC certification to cell phones that meet the 2011 standard. The FCC also estimates that handset will meet the new standards within one year from the rules being published in the Federal Register.

So what do you think? Well, many senior citizens need phones with hearing-aid compatibility (HAC) so I agree with this proposal. updating the standard to the latest version will only improve cell phones for seniors who are hard of hearing.

That's it for this post. Stay tuned as we look at issues that are related to cell phones for senior citizens. Expect more posts every week from this friendly mobile phones for the elderly blog.

Hearing Aid Compatible Cell Phones for Seniors

A large number of seniors need hearing aids to assist them when interacting with friends and family. Thus, a cell phone that's compatible with these gadgets for the hard of hearing will be useful for elderly with impaired auditory senses.

Mobile phones and hearting aids are not naturally compatible. This is due to the fact that the acoustic connection made between the cellphones and the hearing aid is poor and creates distortions in the sound. However, consumer needs paved the way for handsets that are compatible with these devices for the deaf.

The FCC has set the hearing aid compatibility standard for handsets. Devices that meet or exceed ANSI (American National Standards Institute) hearing aid compatibility standard are suitable for consumers with impaired hearing.

The devices are rated into: M3-handsets that has satisfied the ANSI standard and M4- handsets that has exceeded the ANSI standard.

However, it is also important to note that the label "hearing aid compatible" is not a guarantee that it will work perfectly for elderly users. The main problem is interference that may cause static buzzing sounds.

It is also important to remember that non-rated handset may also work with hearing aids.

Here is a list of the hearing aid compatible cell phones for seniors that I've featured on this blog:

• LG VX4700
• Binatone Speakeasy
• Motorola W259
• Doro HandlePlus 334 GSM
• Doro PhoneEasy 410
• Doro PhoneEasy 345
• LG LX150
• Samsung M240
• Nokia 6085
• Jitterbug J
• Motorola V195s
• Samsung Knack
• Nokia 2366i
• Motofone F3
• Sanyo SCP 7000
• Nokia 6133
• LG Flare
• Pantech Breeze
• Motorola Buzz
• Sanyo 7050
• Motorola i760
• Motorola i335
• Verizon Wireless Coupe

That';s it for this post on hearing aid compatible cell phones for seniors. Tune in to this blog for more on mobile phones for the elderly and related topics.