Using Your Phone With a Hearing Aid
Device
Anumber of Sprint phones have been tested for hearing aid device
compatibility. When some wireless phones are used with certain hearing
devices (including hearing aids and cochlear implants), users may detect a
noise which can interfere with the effectiveness of the hearing device.
Some hearing devices are more immune than others to this interference
noise, and phones also vary in the amount of interference noise they may
generate. ANSI standard C63.19 was developed to provide a standardized
means of measuring both wireless phone and hearing devices to determine
usability rating categories for both.
Ratings have been developed for mobile phones to assist hearing device
users find phones that may be compatible with their hearing device. Not all
phones have been rated for compatibility with hearing devices. Phones that
have been rated have a label located on the box. Your PRO-700 by SANYO
has an M4 and a T4 rating.
These ratings are not guarantees. Results will vary depending on the user’s
hearing device and individual type and degree of hearing loss. If a hearing
device is particularly vulnerable to interference noise; even a phone with a
higher rating may still cause unacceptable noise levels in the hearing
device. Trying out the phone with your hearing device is the best way to
evaluate it for your personal needs.
M-Ratings:Phones rated M3 or M4 meet FCC requirements for hearing aid
compatibility and arelikely to generate less interference to hearing devices
than unrated phones. (M4 is the better/higher of the two ratings.)
T-Ratings:Phones rated T3 or T4 meet FCC requirements and are likely to be
more usable with a hearing device’s telecoil (“T Switch”or “Telephone
Switch”) than unrated phones. (T4 is the better/higher of the two ratings.
Note that not all hearing devices have telecoils in them.)