User's Manual

FCC Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC)
Regulations for Wireless Devices
The U.S. Federal Com
munications 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
wit
h your hearing device is the best way to evaluate it for your
pe
rsonal 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/h
igher of the two ratings. M-ratings refer to enabling
acoustic coupling with hear
ing aids that do not operate in telecoil
mode.
DRAFT
DRAFT, Not Final