WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission today largely upheld a 2003 decision requiring cellular carriers to make hearing-aid-compatible phones available to individuals with hearing loss.
However, federal regulators did agree to an 11th-hour compromise between the wireless industry and hearing-disability advocates that potentially relaxes an existing mandate that 25 percent of handsets offered by the top five service providers be hearing-aid compatible by Sept. 16. Under the FCC-approved deal, national mobile-phone operators have the option to either meet the 25-percent per-air-interface requirement or make available four hearing-aid-compatible headsets by the September deadline. In exchange, the mobile-phone industry vowed to include hearing-aid compatibility information on “call-out cards” as part of handset displays in retail stores and promised to ensure that both low-end and high-end handsets can be purchased.
“It was a close call,” said Cathy Seidel, acting chief of the FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
By September 2006, mobile-phone carriers must make five hearing-aid compatible phones available or ensure that 25 percent of phones have that capability for hearing-disabled consumers.
The Commission did not modify the current obligation for all wireless carriers to have 50 percent of their handset models hearing-aid compatible by February 2008.
“The commission concluded that the revised benchmark along with these additional commitments will facilitate consumers’ ability to obtain phones that are suitable for their particular needs,” the FCC stated.
CTIA, the national cellular trade association, said: “The wireless industry took seriously the concerns of the hearing loss community and worked to craft a plan that addresses and fulfils its members’ needs. When hearing-aid users sign up for wireless service they not only have a choice in service provider, but also now have a diverse choice in devices-whether they want phones with all the bells and whistles or more simplified versions. Wireless technology was built as a service for all consumers and today’s ruling furthers that reality. CTIA commends the Self Help for Hard of Hearing organization for helping to lead us down a path that gets us closer to that goal.”
