Cell Phones and Hearing Aids
Sunday July 16, 2006
Ileneraku asks on the forum:
According to the FDA's Report, cell phones and hearing aids don't work because electromagnetic interference between the phone and the hearing aid causes buzzing or static. Scientists are trying to find out more about this problem and what can be done about it. Has anyone had luck with a particular brand of cell phone that works with hearing aids? I finally got cell phone reception.
According to the FDA's Report, cell phones and hearing aids don't work because electromagnetic interference between the phone and the hearing aid causes buzzing or static. Scientists are trying to find out more about this problem and what can be done about it. Has anyone had luck with a particular brand of cell phone that works with hearing aids? I finally got cell phone reception.
Comments
Try Samsung brand.
gwlj
The hearing aid companies are well aware of this issue. Most states offer a 30 day period to return the aids. It is true the cell phone companies have not kept up with hearing aid technology however the hearing aids are now much better on cell phones. I dispense Starkey hearing aids and they have just come out with a new line called Destiny, they are wonderful on cell and regular phones. I suggest you research better hearing aids instead of looking toward the phone companies to fix this as the technology does exist today. Good luck…..
My 7 yr old daughter refuses to talk on the house phone unless it is on speaker phone but she has no problem talking on the cell phone and prefers it when talking to aunt, uncle, grandma and grandpa. She wears Opticon Adaptors and our cell phones are Verizon LG.
Interesting thread that I will be keeping an eye on, as we are thinking about upgrading our phones.
Thanks for all of your information that you freely share!
my nine year old hoh son says my razor phone with m3 technology -which is supposed to be better for hearing aids-sounds much better to him-and I notice him less frustrated and saying “what” less with this new phone
Hi. I have a samsung phone. Does your hearing aids have the t-coil? Both of my aids do and when I chat on phone I flip the switch on my aids and hold the phone directly to the unit not your ear like a regular phone. Clear as a bell. Best part is if I can’t hear I turn up the volume on my aids. You can even go to your local phone carrier and ask them for a device that hooks on your aids and connects directly to phone. I got mine for $40. it is rather small and just sits behind the unit. good luck. hope this helps.
I’d love to have a cell phone, for emergencies, but haven’t yet found one to work with my old hearing aid. So I am eager to learn more about the possibilities.
I have recently upgraded my hearing aids to Unitron Conversa NT- which are very nice in so many ways– BUT when I use my Razor cell phone- and the aids are on t-coil- the feedback has been bad! I am concerned because I use the phone so much,, but cannot seem to find the right adjustment for it!
Its frusterating…
Just got new Microtech BTE Hearing aids yesterday that have a Bluetooth adapter. I bet there may be more compaines that have that technology or some method to adapt your aids to a Wi-Fi signal.
But it definitely is frustrating to fiddle with phones and HA.
Hello,
T-Mobile Cell Phones have a speaker phone that works very well with a hearing aid. There may be a little static, but it isn’t distracting.
The key to using the T-Mobile phone is to wear your hearing aid on one ear, and use the cell phone on the other ear.
What I love about the T-Mobile Cell Phone is that just before a call comes in, you will hear a little electronic tap dance, that is like a rhythmic buzz, and then– the phone rings.
I wear bilateral hearing aids. My cell phone use is quite extensive as I refuse to have a land phone. The only brands that my Widex aids and the Seimens that I used to have work with are Sanyo and Samsung. I have gone into the Cell phone stores and try all brands of phones making them call something in order for me to hear what comes out. Nokia and Motorola are the worst for my brand of hearing aids, not sure why that is and they do have nice phones. The Keocera, I am sure I spelled that wrong, does not work well either, tried a friends and found this out. We all need to keep in mind that when using our cells in the car we get the harmonics from the engine while using the telephone option on our hearing aids, making is some what annoying to hear. I have also found that the Ford Focus has the quitest harmonics along with the BMW.
The amount of interference depends on what type of signal the phone company uses (there are 3 kinds of modes for signals), though I’ve studied them a little don’t ask me to explain
A good site to see is the Regional Resourece Center on Deafness at Western Oregon University (see: http://www.wou.edu/education/sped/wrocc/training_technology.htm). And read “For Whom the Bell Flashes”. This site also has a number of WONDERFUL articles with other focuses on hearing loss issues.
Also a huge determining factor is the distance between your hearing aids and the antenna. The further your hearing aid gets away from the antenna, the better (i.e. flip phones are better for hearing aids than flat). I use Samsung with my Interton hearing aids and even without my hearing aids the Samsung phones have been the loudest and easiest to use. You can also buy a CHAAMP device that hooks to specific types of Nokia phones (though personnally I dislike Nokia brands due to lack of loudness and clarity but then again I’ve never used a CHAAMP either- and I’ve heard good things about them from other hard of hearing I work with (I’m an advocate for deaf/ hard of hearing). Simply put there are a million types of hearing loss, therefore the type of phone that works best for you will depend on your loss and perferences. Happy hunting!
I have an LG VX8100 from VerizonWireless and the clarity and volume is great with my hearing aids on the T-switch. Look at Verizon Wireless’ Website and type in “Accessibility” for more VW products that work well with hearing aids.
Here’s an excerpt from the Website:
Hearing Aid Compatible Phones
Verizon Wireless currently sells the following phone models that meet the FCC M rating standards: Blackberry 7250, Kyocera KX1v, LG VX3300, LG VX4700, LG VX5200, LG VX8100, LG The V, Motorola E815, Motorola V276, Palm® Treo™ 650, Samsung SCH-a630, Samsung SCH-a850, Samsung SCH-n330.
For more details on these devices please view phones selection.
Hearing Aid Compatible Accessories
HAC phone accessories are available to allow wireless phones to work better with hearing aids. Not all the wireless phones are hearing-aid compatible by themselves and not all the wireless phones that are hearing-aid compatible work well with all hearing aids. This is sometimes due to the radio signals generated by the phone or by the hearing-aid design. HAC phone accessories help correct these issues.
I have worn many hearing aids over many years.
I now have a Phonak FM Smart Link SL and have had a Treo 650 for some time.
The Treo has Blue tooth capacility.
I will make a call on the 650.
I hear it ringing and the person answering via both ears.
(I wear BTE binaural.)
Attached to my aids are connecting boots for small FM receivers which pick up the phone sounds coming from the Blue tooth in my 650. All wireless.
I hear better than before I lost my hearing and in both ears.
It does take a while to get used to.
The Smart LInkd cost $1700.
The 650 now, from different sources, costs about ? $400.
There may be other less costly ways to obtain the Blue tooth capability.
Though they do not need telecoils, people should always ask for these t coils or telecoils low cost extra’s.
Don’t wait for the hearing aid dealer to tell you of the benefits of coils. There is little profit in them but they can be very very useful on phones or other applications.
Warren Hanna
My HOH friends and I all use the LGVX model cell phones from Verizon. The phone model numbers change periodically but they’re basically the same phone. We all have different model hearing aids and CI’s. My 6 year old analog Phonak hearing aids that work well with this phone. I do usually keep the phone set to speaker mode, and use the t-coils on my hearing aids. On some calls, I’ve found that the sound quality and clarity of speech is clearer. I can even understand the voice mail messages better on my cell phone than I can on our answering machine.
The one thing I’d recommend with any model cell phone is to not get a camera phone. I’ve tried my niece and nephew’s camrea phones and they seem to cause more static interference with the hearing aids.
Check out the websites that have been recommended here. You can also find articles at www.hearingloss.org, with links to some of theses sites.
Also, if you need a cell phone but have a lot of trouble hearing on one, Krown makes the “Pocket Speak and Read VCO” a small text device that fits over any phone and can be used to reach your relay service. There are other accessories, such as neckloops and the HATIS silhouette, that act as assistive devices for cell phones.
It all depends on what works best for you.
My most recent success for being able to access sound from a cell phone is a Jabra 160 in which a special ear mold/earpiece attachment was made fitting inside my ear like a hearing aid.
I am hard of hearing and I use a Motorola E815 model… it works perfectly with my hearing aids. I can actually hear MUCH better on my cell phone than I can regular phones!
I am hoh and wear bi-lateral bte aids. I have had good luck with Motorola cell phone but now I have LG. I need the 5mm adapter to work with my tty. Now that phones are infrared or blue tooth that may become a problem in the future. Sometimes it’s difficult to use the phone either land line or cell, depending on the surrounding sounds.
I was never able to use a cell phone because of feedback and had to use a T-Coil. I went to Verizon and found out they have M3 phones that are now hearing aid compatible. I purchased one and love it! No more feedback. I can now put my hearing aid on the telephone switch and put the cell phone up to the hearing aid without any feedback noises.
I have used several brands and I to like Verizon. Verizon bought out General Telephone and this is part of the reason they are so good.
I can not find a way to use my hearing aids with any phone. I have digital hearing aids with the telecoil button but I have to take them out anytime I get a call. I’m also looking to purchase something to use while on my cell phone, but not sure which T coil things work with which cell phones. Please help!!! We just got new cell phones and only have 14 days to decide if we like them and I’d like to purchase something that would help amplify what is coming through on the phone. It has speaker phone, but even with that, I have to hold the speaker phone right to my ear. It isn’t loud enough for me.
I just received an Eli boot to use with a cell phone. I wear Siemens BTE on both ears. I am hoping someone can advise just WHICH bluetooth cell phone works best. I am hoping for more clarity with the Eli. Thanks!
I have BI-lateral BTE Hearing aids & have a t-coil. I have cingular. Can anyone recomend any cellphnes from Cingular (At&T) for me? My HA are analog, not digital:(.
Thanks,
Shoshi
Nokia makes something called a loopset that works very well with my digital T-coil hearing aids. I had T-Mobile and now have Cingular (AT & T) and worked well with both those carriers. They even make a bluetooth loopset for the bluetooth phones.
Heres a Motorola website for hearing aid compatible cellphones where you can compare the ratings for their models. Way to go Motorola! My service provider -Telus was absolutely useless when I was trying to get info on their HAC phones. (Did I try turning up the volume???duh, who would’ve thought?)
oops the website is http://direct.motorola.com/ens/accessibility/Features.html
I use Phonak and GNResound digital behind the ear model hearing aids. I find it very difficult to use cell phones with GSM technologies. It makes a humming sound the very moment I take it near the hearing aid and embrassing in front of others who offer their cell phones to talk.
With Landline phones and with CDMA technology cell phones I can hear but that also creates interference sometimes when the volume is set high.
Please suggest me a suitable cell phone .
I use Phonak and GNResound digital behind the ear model hearing aids. I find it very difficult to use cell phones with GSM technologies. It makes a humming sound the very moment I take it near the hearing aid and embrassing in front of others who offer their cell phones to talk.
With Landline phones and with CDMA technology cell phones I can hear but that also creates interference sometimes when the volume is set high.
Please suggest me a suitable cell phone .