The ease of making and receiving calls on your cellphone is something most of us simply take for granted. But what about for those with hearing impairments?
Fortunately, hearing impaired cellphones are available—and, in fact, every phone offered by Consumer Cellular is compatible with hearing aids. You can see a current list of our phones along with their hearing aid compatibility (HAC) rating simply by clicking here.
A wireless handset is determined to be hearing aid compatible (HAC) when it conforms to accepted measures established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). All digital handsets have an HAC rating for their ability to reduce interference with hearing aids operating in acoustic mode.
Phones are given an M-rating based on their radio frequency (RF) emissions level and signal quality. Phones with a higher M-rating have a lower RF emissions level and a higher signal quality. M-ratings range from M1 to M4, with M4 being the best.
When choosing a hearing-impaired cellphone, we recommend that customers who plan to listen to phone calls with their hearing aids in microphone mode (M mode) look for a phone with an M-rating of M3 or M4. Your phone and your hearing aid will each have their own M-rating. For the best experience overall, it is recommended that the phone’s M-rating and the hearing aid’s M-rating add up to at least 5.
In addition, phones are given a T-rating based on their ability to operate with telecoil-equipped hearing aids. A telecoil is a small device built into some hearing aids that allows for a better experience when using a telephone or listening device. T-ratings range from T1 to T4, with T4 being the best.
Customers who plan to listen to phone calls with their hearing aids in telecoil mode (T mode) should look for a phone with a T-rating of T3 or T4. If your hearing aid is equipped with a telecoil, it will have its own T-rating. For the best experience, it is recommended that the phone’s T-rating and the hearing aid’s T-rating add up to at least 5.
If you need additional help finding a Consumer Cellular phone that works best for your specific needs, just give customer service a call (888) 345-5509. We’re always happy to work with you to find a device that provides the wireless accessibility you need to fully enjoy your service.
Worst web site I have ever used to pay a bill. I have answered the same stupid question for at least 4 months in a row . One would think they had got it by now.
Hi Joe, thanks for your post, I’m sorry to hear about the trouble you’ve had with your online account. If you have trouble with it going forward, definitely give us a call at 800-686-4460 or chat with us here and we’d happily look into this and see what’s going on.
What does joe pond remark have to do with trying to find a comparable hearing aid phone??????
Hi T, we appreciate your feedback on our blog post and have passed it along for going forward. Thanks!