To address disparities in access to assistive devices among the 48 million Americans with hearing loss, the FCC has ruled that all “mobile phones” (smartphones) must be compatible with hearing aids. did.
“Americans with hearing loss will no longer be limited in their choice of technology, features, and prices available in the mobile phone market,” the FCC wrote.
The rule was announced Oct. 17 after years of consideration by the organization’s Hearing Aid Compatibility Task Force, which was created in response to the FCC’s 2016 directive to improve hearing aid compatibility. It also includes new requirements for Bluetooth coupling, a common connectivity option in modern hearing aids, aimed at preventing manufacturers from establishing proprietary standards that limit connectivity options.
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Devices that meet current FCC standards must be labeled simply as “hearing aid compatible” and are rated on a scale of 1 to 4 according to two connection modes. The “M” rating refers to hearing aids in acoustic mode, a setting that amplifies all signals and reduces ambient noise, and devices are rated based on their ability to reduce interference. The “T” rating refers to an “inductively coupled mode” that uses only the audio signal-based magnetic field to produce sound, with the device containing an internal telecoil to generate the signal. Devices must be rated “M3” and “T3” or higher to be approved.
Under the revised rules, devices will have the same label, but with additional information regarding Bluetooth and telecoil requirements and volume limit controls.
In September, the FDA approved the first over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid software designed by Apple to turn Airpods Pro 2 into an auxiliary amplification device for users with mild to moderate hearing loss. The group previously approved the sale of OTC hearing aids in 2022, setting a historic precedent for expanding user access in a previously expensive market.
