ARLINGTON, Texas-National Cellular announced it will distribute Starkey Laboratories’ Ear Level Instrument product, which the companies said will allow hearing-aid users to make calls on any Bluetooth-capable mobile phone.
“ELI offers hearing-instrument wearers the freedom to communicate with Bluetooth-compatible wireless phones,” said Jerry Ruzicka, Starkey’s president. “Because the solution is wireless, it eliminates the hassle of cable clutter.”
Hearing-aid users often experience a buzzing sound that makes conversations over a mobile phone difficult or impossible to hear. The FCC has required cellular handset manufacturers to provide a small selection of wireless handsets that will significantly minimize or eliminate this interference. The ELI device pairs hearing aids with Bluetooth phones, thereby expanding the number of hearing aid-compatible mobile phones.
