HAC

Cellular One offers many devices that are Hearing Aid Compatible (HAC)

At Cellular One, we are committed to providing the highest-quality wireless telephone service to customers, including those with disabilities. 

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has wireless handset hearing aid compatibility requirements. These requirements are aimed at ensuring wireless handsets will work near hearing aids which operate in either acoustic coupling or inductive coupling mode.

Hearing aids operating in acoustic coupling mode receive and amplify all signals, such as a telephone audio signal, as well as unwanted ambient noise. Hearing aids operating in inductive coupling mode avoid amplifying unwanted ambient noise by turning off the microphone and using a telecoil to receive only audio signal based magnetic fields generated by telecoil compatible telephones.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has established technical standards to measure wireless phone handsets for “compatibility” with acoustic and inductive hearing aids and have been adopted by the FCC. These standards are known as Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) ratings.

An “M” rating measures compatibility with acoustic hearing aids while a “T” rating measures compatibility with induction hearing aids. So the higher the number (e.g., M3, M4 etc.) the more compatible the handset. Generally, handsets rated “M3” or “T3” by ANSI or better are considered compliant with FCC requirements.

Acoustic Hearing Aids

• M3-rating indicates the handset has satisfied the ANSI standard
• M4-rating indicates the handset has exceeded the ANSI standard
•  

Induction Hearing Aids

• T3-rating indicates the handset has satisfied the ANSI standard
• T4-rating indicates the handset has exceeded the ANSI standard
•  

For more information and for downloadable brochures, please visit CTIA’s website.

Explanation of methodology for determining levels of functionality (e.g. operating capabilities, features, prices) for compliant handsets:

Cellular One offers a variety of HAC phone models to meet the needs of wireless users with hearing disabilities. The mobile units are presented here by category of price.

PDAs (smartphones) generally have advanced features such as expandable memory, enhanced camera, Bluetooth, video, Internet access, touch screen UI, faster processing, email, full QWERTY keypads, and in many cases Windows Office Mobile, to meet the demands of mobile business professionals and consumers.

High, Ultra High, and Extreme Tier Handsets range from ($250.99 and up) may have advanced features such as a 2MP or above camera, advanced Bluetooth, expandable memory, email access, touch screen, and internet access capability.

Mid and Mid High Tier Handsets ($170.99-$249.99) may have a medium-resolution camera, advanced Bluetooth, and Internet access capability, but lack e-mail access.

Ultra Low and Low Tier Handsets (less than $170.99) generally have a low-resolution camera, low-resolution displays and may not have Bluetooth, they also generally lack such features as MP3 players, e-mail, and expandable memory.

A listing of Cellular One HAC handsets by current and recently offered models can be found in the table below.

* This phone has been tested and rated for use with hearing aids for some of the wireless technologies that it uses. However, there may be some newer wireless technologies used in this phone that have not been tested yet for use with hearing aids. It is important to try the different features of this phone thoroughly and in different locations, using your hearing aid or cochlear implant, to determine if you hear any interfering noise. Consult your service provider or the manufacturer of this phone for information on hearing aid compatibility. If you have questions about return or exchange policies, consult your service provider or phone retailer.