WASHINGTON-The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission said last week he thinks the time has come to mandate digital wireless phones be compatible with hearing aids.
“It is time to think about a mandate. … We were very very patient,” said William Kennard, noting that the FCC has held off on such a mandate in the past while the mobile-phone industry and the hearing-impaired community tried to come up with a voluntary agreement. “That is just not working,” Kennard said. “We know the solutions are out there,” he added.
Kennard made these statements while speaking with reporters following a speech on disabilities access.
Some question remains over whether the solutions already are available or if the burden must all fall on the digital wireless phone manufacturers rather than being shared with the hearing aid manufacturers.
“He [Kennard] is going to have to assert jurisdiction over hearing aid manufacturers. … This is a two-part problem. A phone has to transmit if it is going to work or else it is just a paperweight. A hearing aid needs to amplify or else it is just an earplug,” said Michael Altschul, vice president and general counsel for the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association.
The hearing-aid compatibility issue was first raised with the FCC in June 1995 in a petition by the Wireless Access Coalition. The petition sought the revocation of an exemption for digital mobile phones under the Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988.
Reed Hundt, then-FCC chairman, said delaying deployment of hearing-aid compatible mobile phones was not an option and directed the wireless industry to work with consumers, hearing health professionals and hearing-aid manufacturers to find a solution.
Recently WAC again petitioned the FCC to mandate compatibility. Comments on this petition were due last Friday. Reply comments are due Jan. 8.
The fact that the proceeding is in the midst of the comment period and yet Kennard is signalling where he wants it to end up, discouraged CTIA.
“We are disappointed that the chairman would apparently prejudge an issue before the full commission has an opportunity to review the record,” said CTIA spokesman Travis Larson.
Others noted that while Kennard may normally be reticent to transmit his views prior to completion of a record, his term ends in June and it is unlikely a decision would be made before then.
