February 20, 2007
USA Requiring Phones to Work with Hearing Aids
To ensure that hearing aid users are provided with compatible mobile phones, the FCC has mandated that digital wireless phones which are manufactured or imported for use in the United States meet the requirements of the current ANSI C63.19:2006 standard (American National Standard for Methods of Measurement of Compatibility between Wireless Communications Devices and Hearing Aids).
"...Digital wireless service providers as well as manufacturers have to ensure that at least 50% of all handsets marketed meet the ANSI U3 or M3 (RF Emissions) hearing aid-compatibility requirements for each air interface offered.
The deadline to comply with these requirements is February 18, 2008.
About one in ten of the world population has some degree of hearing loss. This number is also on the increase as a result of the noise levels to which people are exposed and the demographic aging. "
[via Cellular News]
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