Technology is evolving quickly, and hearing aids are evolving with them. From advanced noise cancellation to Bluetooth hearing technology in the LifeEar® Core, hearing aid tech has never been better. But is your cellphone compatible with your hearing aid? While many phones these days are compatible with hearing devices, not all of them are keeping up. Before your next cellphone purchase, you need to understand the best phones for hearing aids and the features you should be looking for.
What is a Telecoil?
Telecoils (or t-coils) work as wireless antennas. Some hearing aids, like the MDHearingAid AIR, use telecoil technology along with its microphone to receive sounds. It can link up to certain cellphone’s sound system by acting as a receiver and not picking up background noises. Along with cellphones, this technology can also be used in amphitheaters, movie theaters, concert halls, and churches.
People wanting phones for hearing aids with telecoil should look for cellphone models with a telecoil rating of T3 or T4. Don’t worry, many electronic stores will let you test out a phone to be sure that it works with your hearing aid.
Microphone-Compatible Cellphone Handsets
Hearing aids use a microphone to capture sound waves, and then converts those sounds waves into electrical signals. The signals are then amplified and converted back to audible sounds to the user. These microphones don’t always work well with things like telephone handsets and headsets.
To make sure that these devices are capable of working with hearing aids, a hearing aid compatibility standard was set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). For handsets that use a microphone, receiving a rating of M3 means it has met the ANSI standards, while M4 means they have surpassed it. The higher rating a handset has, the higher signal quality it will have (along with a lower Radio Frequency emission). When purchasing a phone, you can usually see what rating it has received so you’ll know if it’ll work with your hearing aid.
Smart Phone Hearing Aid App
The LifeEar CORE is the first hearing aid that can be quickly and easily programmed to fit your personal hearing concerns, all without leaving the comfort of home! The LifeEar companion mobile app tests your hearing and creates your personal hearing profile. From there, it automatically calculates the best setting for you. Best of all, you can retest yourself at any time and the app with accommodate any changes to your program, which helps you avoid needing adjustments at the hearing clinic!
Luckily, there are plenty of smart phones for hearing aids with apps. The LifeEar Core app is available to download for free through both the Apple and Android stores. As long as your cellphone has access to either store, you can use the app on it! If your phone is not app-compatible, the app can also be downloaded on tablets.
Now you can personalize your hearing aid right from your smartphone with the LifeEar® CORE.
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