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HAC Phones
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February 23, 2009
The Wireless Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (Wireless RERC) and CTIA - The Wireless Association® present Hearing Aid Compatibility: Choosing a Cell Phone That Works For You.
This is a five-part video series to help consumers choose a hearing aid compatible wireless device that meets their needs. Each video breaks down the information consumers need into easy to understand segments.
The first segment presents information regarding Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) and wireless devices as told by a certified audiologist.
The second segment demonstrates a suggested “try and buy” process between a customer representative and a customer at an actual wireless carrier's retail store.
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Fellow advocate Janice Schacter from New York City tells us that both AT & T and Verizon now have websites that include listings and explanation of the M (microphone) and T (telecoil) ratings of cell phones they carry.
AT & T
http://www.wireless.att.com/about/disability-resources/hearing-aid-compatibility.jsp
Verizon
http://aboutus.vzw.com/accessibility/products.html
We have also learned that the Motorola website has had information about the M and T ratings for their phones for some time now. That information can be found on the following pages:
For basic information and FAQs about hearing aid compatibility:
http://direct.motorola.com/ens/accessibility/Hearingaid.html
For information about the different Motorola models, including M/T ratings:
http://direct.motorola.com/ens/accessibility/Hearingaid.html
For basic wireless accessibility:
http://www.motorola.com/accessibility . The 2 sites above are within this website.
HLAA will update our website as we get more information from manufacturers and service providers. If you don’t see the information you are looking for here, be sure to ask the service provider or manufacturer directly about the phone you want to purchase and ask about their return policy. And remember, try before you buy—that’s the only way to be really sure the product you buy works for you.
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Industry Milestone - 1/7/08
Cordless Phone Manufacturers
to Make All Handsets TIA-1083 Compliant
TIA’s Interference Standard Quickly Becoming
Ubiquitous in the Industry.
Full News Release Text Here
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New brochure available on purchasing a cell phone in
PDF format.
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FCC Updates & Filings
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June 26, 2009
Julius Genachowski was confirmed by the U.S. Senate June 25, 2009 as the next chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. In addition, Commissioner Robert McDowell was approved for a full term at the Commission.
In addition, President Obama announced his intention to nominate Meredith Attwell Baker (Republican) and Mignon Clyburn (Democrat) as new FCC Commissioners. Each will also now have confirmation hearings in the Senate.
The men and women who are confirmed as Commissioners make decisions on many issues that impact people with hearing loss: television captioning, relay services, broadband, just to name a few. HLAA looks forward to working with the Commissioners in the coming months and years.
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January 12, 2009
“Beginning on December 31, 2008, persons with hearing and/or speech disabilities who use Video Relay Service (VRS) or Internet Protocol Relay (IP Relay) – two forms of Internet-based Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) – will be able to obtain ten digit telephone numbers from their VRS or IP Relay provider. These are the ten-digit telephone numbers used by voice telephone users. New Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules require that VRS and IP Relay users be able to make and receive calls using their new ten-digit numbers, and be able to make 911 calls and have those calls – AND the caller’s ten-digit number and location information – routed to the appropriate public safety answering point, the same enhanced 911 (E911) call center used by voice telephone users. “
Find the full text of the FCC’s Consumer Advisory at:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/trstendigit-user-meaning.pdf
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Filing a Complaint with the Federal Communications
Commission 1/9/08
Use this word form for
instructions and formatting for sending mail, fax or
email: FCCTemplateFilingComplaint.doc.
For
their web complaint page go to: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html
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The Hearing Loss Association submitted comments to the
FCC on Hand Held’s request for exemption from the
hearing aid compatibility rule for their mobile computing
devices including their Dolphin Line of products that have
mobile telephone capabilities. Hand Held is a manufacturer
of mobile computing devices that integrate data collection
and transmission functions. This exemption would potentially
set up accessibility barriers in the workforce for people
with hearing loss and on that basis the Hearing Loss Association
opposed the request. View the comments in Word format.
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Hearing
Loss Association Comments on Current and Future Requirements
for Wireless Devices to be Hearing Aid Compatible -
1/31/2007 - Word
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FCC Upholds Analog Sunset - In 2002, the FCC
issued an order that would end wireless analog transmissions
by 2008. In deciding not to eliminate its analog
requirement right away, the FCC explained that additional
time was needed to ensure that hearing aid and cochlear
implant users could use digital wireless handsets. The
FCC has now rejected an appeal by the alarm industry to
extend the analog requirement for two additional years. In
making this decision, the Commission specifically found
that the gradual sunset of these services had "achieved
its goal of facilitating the migration of the deaf and
hard of hearing" from analog wireless services to digital
wireless services. The Commission explained that
analog service was no longer necessary given the significant
level of compliance reported by manufacturers and service
providers. However, the FCC promised to continue
to monitor the progress of manufacturers and service providers
to ensure such access.
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HLAA signs on to FCC comments
with other consumer groups to request choice in relay services for
people who are deaf –blind. Comments
in PDF format.
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Captioned Telephones
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July 2, 2009
ACTION ALERT:
Comments due by July 27, 2009
CG Docket number 03-123
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a public notice asking whether captioned telephones services (such as CapTel) should be mandatory across the country. Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) is urging the FCC to mandate captioned phone services.
If you use CapTel, or would like to, let the FCC know why. Let the FCC know how important telephones are to you and how CapTel has helped you. You don’t need to make your comments long or technical. Your stories why you benefit from CapTel services will help the FCC understand the needs of real people with hearing loss when they attempt to use the phone.
To send your stories go to http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/upload_v2.cgi (If you need additional help on how to file comments, take a look at: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs)
When you fill out the form to file your comments, just use the number: 03-123. Fill out all that is required on this form, then post your story in the space provided. If you need help, contact the HLAA Advocacy Department. We’ll send step-by-step instructions directly to you via email. [Read more]
To see the Comments filed June 10 by HLAA and others regarding captioned telephones services
click here.
Act today! Your stories are powerful!
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June 26, 2009
Hearing Loss Association of America along with 11 other organizations recently filed a supplement to our 2005 petition requesting the FCC mandate captioned telephones. Captioned phones, such as CapTel, provide people with hearing loss who can use their voice an opportunity to enjoy the use of telephone services in a way that is very nearly the same as those with no hearing loss. We would like to see many consumers add their comments to the proceedings. Watch the HLAA home page for an upcoming action alert on how to file comments in support of mandating captioned telephone services. Or contact the Advocacy Department directly to see what you can do to make captioned telephone service a reality in all 50 states!
Below is the announcement released June 26 by the FCC:
Released: 06/26/2009.
CONSUMER & GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS BUREAU SEEKS TO REFRESH THE RECORD ON PETITION TO MANDATE CAPTIONED TELEPHONE RELAY SERVICE (CTS). (DA No. 09-1436) PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED.
Comments Due: 07/27/2009.
Reply Comments Due: 08/10/2009. CGB .
Contact: Thomas Chandler at (202) 418-1475
email: Thomas.Chandler@fcc.gov
TTY: (202) 418-0597
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-1436A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-1436A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-1436A1.txt
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March 27, 2009
Hearing Loss Association of America recently learned that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) included a provision in its Request for Proposals (RFP) for Captioned Telephone Services (CTS) that would require the CTS Caller Assistant (CA) to inform all of the parties on any CTS relay call (that originates from or terminates in California) of the presence of the CTS CA on the call. This requirement is alleged to assure compliance with California state law that prohibits monitoring, recording, or transcribing of telephone conversations unless all parties to the conversation give their express prior consent or have received notice that such monitoring, recording or transcribing is occurring. Read more
HLAA Requests Review of CA State’s Position on Captioned Telephone Service Requirements [pdf]
HLAA Fact Sheet on Captioned Phones in California [pdf]
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Information on How to Order a CapTel Phone in New
York
Beginning January 1, 2007, New
York Relay Captioned Telephone Service will be available in the State
of New York for people with hearing loss. Sprint has
arranged, for a limited time only, to make CapTel phones
available for just $ 99.00! First come first
served offer is limited to one per household.
To order go to 1-800-233-9130 or on line at www.nyrelay.com and
click on the picture of the CapTel phone
Information
on ordering a captioned telephone will
be available on, November 1, 2006. Please
share the details below with your chapter
members at meetings, in newsletters and
by email.
Information
on Ordering a CapTel phone is available two ways:
Email:+
Send an
email to Captel@captelmail.com requesting
CapTel order information. Give your name, your
mailing address and email address. The order
form and order information will be emailed to you on November
1st or thereafter if your request is sent in after
November 1st.
Postal
Mail:
+ If
a person does not have email, they should request a
CapTel order form and order information by mail. The
request should include the full name and mailing address,
and be submitted to:
>
Pam
Holmes
CapTel
Customer
Service450
Science Drive
Madison,
WI 53711
The
order form and order information will be mailed on or
about October 30th or thereafter if the request
is mailed in after October 30th Captioned Telephone information
will also be available on;
1. The
New York State Public Service Commission website;
www.dps.state.ny.us on
November 1, 2006.
This
will be in three areas on the site:
*
Telecommunications
*
What's New
* AskPSC2.
The
New York Relay website www.nyrelay.com
3. The
Hearing Loss Association of America-New York
State
Please note : There
will be 300 phones per month available starting
January 2007. If orders exceed 300 phones
per month a waiting list will be created for following
months allocation.
The introductory price and other
ordering information will be announced on November
1, 2006, and sent by email or postal
mail as described above.
I suggest those
interested in obtaining a captioned telephone
have their name and contact information (as detailed
above) submitted as soon as possible. You
do not have to wait until November 1, 2006.
Joseph
Gordon
New York State Chapter Coordinator
Hearing Loss Association of America
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Television
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HLAA joins other consumer organizations in responding
to FCC notice on a national education campaign about the
transition from analog to digital TV.
Final DTV Education Reply Comments in PDF
Filing Confirmation in PDF
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Captioned TV: What to do if the captions
are not working?
Call your TV service or TV station and report the problem.
If you do not get satisfaction then the FCC's closed captioning
rules require consumers to first complain in writing
to their TV distributor, such as your cable or
satellite TV service, or to the TV station if you receive
television via an over-the-air antenna, before contacting
the FCC.
If you are unsatisfied with the TV distributor's response
to your complaint, or the TV distributor does not respond
within about 45 days, then quickly contact
the FCC with all of the complaint information listed above
as well as your contact information. You must provide the
FCC with full and specific details, including a copy of
your original written complaint that you sent to the TV
distributor, and their response, if any.
For tips on filing a complaint about captioned TV go to:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/tips_on_filing_cc_complaint.html
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Legislation
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House Releases 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act for People with Disabilities -
01/14/08
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Comments
of the Hearing Loss Association of America and Telecommunications
for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. - December 13,
2007 - Word Format
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Get your COAT! In
March a new coalition of disability organizations was launched
to advocate for legislative and regulatory safeguards that
will ensure full access by people with disabilities to
evolving high speed broadband, wireless and other Internet
protocol (IP) technologies. Coalition of Organizations
for Accessible Technology" or “COAT,” consists
of 30 national and regional organizations dedicated
to making sure that as our nation migrates from legacy public
switched-based telecommunications to more versatile and innovative
IP-based and other communication technologies, people with
disabilities will not be left behind. View
the COAT press release launch in Word.
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FCC Approves Use
of Revised Hearing Aid Compatibility Standard for Wireless
Devices as Endorsed by ATIS
http://www.atis.org/PRESS/pressreleases2006/062306.htm |
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