On February 22, 2021, the FCC released a Report and Order to update the FCC’s wireless hearing aid compatibility requirements to ensure that the FCC’s rules reflect the latest technical developments and standards, and to continue on the path to making 100% of wireless handsets hearing aid-compatible.
The Commission adopted the 2019 ANSI Hearing Aid Compatibility Standard and the ANSI/TIA Volume Control Testing Standard as the exclusive testing standards to determine whether a wireless handset is compatible with hearing aids. The order adopted a two-year transition period for handset manufacturers and service providers to use only these standards. In addition, the order extends the March 1, 2021 deadline for the volume control rule for wireless handsets to coincide with the effective date for the exclusive use of the new standards. The order also addresses labelling, deployment benchmarks, in-store testing, and other rule changes.
Links to Report and Order:
URL: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-updates-hearing-aid-compatibility-rules
Word: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-21-28A1.docx
PDF: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-21-28A1.pdf
Text: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-21-28A1.txt
For general information about hearing aid compatibility, visit: https://www.fcc.gov/hearing-aid-compatibility-and-volume-control. For further information, please contact Eli Johnson, Attorney Advisor, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Competition and Infrastructure Policy Division at (202) 418-1395 or by email at eli.johnson@fcc.gov. Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432-2275 (videophone).