“This page is a digitally archived AccessInfo Announcement”
On November 20, 2015, the FCC released a Report and Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking expanding the FCC’s rules requiring wireless phones to be hearing aid compatible. The item has two parts:
- The Report and Order expands the scope of the hearing aid compatibility rules to cover phones used with the wireless technologies of tomorrow, including IP‐based communications services such as Wi‐Fi Calling and Voice‐over‐LTE.
- The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks comment on a consensus plan by industry and consumer stakeholders that would require a greater number of wireless handsets to be hearing aid compatible over time, with an ultimate goal of 100 percent compatibility in 8 years. This would replace the current hearing aid compatibility rules, which require service providers and handset manufacturers to ensure that a specified fraction of their offerings are hearing aid compliant.
We will announce the due dates for comments and reply comments after these are published in the Federal Register.
News Release:
Report & Order / Notice of Proposed Rulemaking:
Erratum:
Chairman Wheeler's Statement:
Commissioners’ Statements:
- Commissioner Clyburn Commissioner Rosenworcel Commissioner Pai Commissioner O'Rielly
For more Information, contact: Cecilia Sulhoff at (202) 418‐0587, email: Cecilia.Sulhoff@fcc.gov