Pine Cellular and Hearing Aid Compatibility
Last updated: May 17, 2019
FCC Wireless hearing aid compatibility rules and services providers’ obligations
The following information is provided to help our hearing-impaired customers select a cell phone. Please stop by our offices for more information.
Devices with an M/T rating, such as M3/T4, are certified using the 2011 ANSI standard. Devices that state a conversational gain are certified using the 2019 ANSI standard.
A hearing-aid user has a number of features to choose from when purchasing a cellular phone and wireless plan. Some key features that might be helpful:
- Vibrating alert for incoming calls and messages. Most cellular phones have this feature, but ask our representatives to demonstrate if you're not sure.
- Different ring tones may be useful, and are easily selectable on most phones.
- Short Message Service, or text, is available on all of our cellular phones, with an appropriate service plan. Ask for a demonstration to see if this service would be right for you.
- M rating and T rating. Hearing-aid compatible phones are rated according to their capabilities. This rating indicates the level of possible interference between the cellular phone and the hearing-aid device. Most of the HAC phones that Pine offers, for instance, are M3/T3. A "T" rating means the wireless phone is equipped with a telecoil interface, which can work with a telecoil-equipped hearing aid. This reduces interference, and makes the conversation easier to hear. An "M" rating indicates that the cellular phone can operate in "microphone" mode, and should help reduces interference between the hearing-aid device and the cellular phone. In either case, the higher the number, the lower the interference level; an M4/T4 device is less likely to cause interference than an M3/T3 device. Consult with your audiologist about whether your hearing-aid device is t-coil-equipped or not. A Pine representative will be glad to demonstrate how you can switch between M and T modes, and can show you how to make test calls to see how the phone works with your device.
- Pine Cellular offers a 30-day trial period, during which a customer may return a cellular phone if it does not work properly with the customer's hearing aid device.
Call or visit one of our offices with any questions or concerns you might have, and allow us to demonstrate how each phone works.