Coalition Offers Additional Advice on Hearing Aid Compatibility Rules

Wireless industry groups and those representing the deaf and hard of hearing filed a letter at the FCC Thursday urging the agency to support their joint proposal from last year on a revised commission proposal for hearing aid compatibility (HAC) rules (see 1511130027). “The Parties have worked together for many years to ensure that wireless handsets are accessible to and usable by people who use hearing aid devices, and we are pleased to continue our ongoing collaboration on this important issue,” the groups said. The FCC “thoughtfully” incorporated the proposal into its NPRM proceeding, the groups said. “The Parties continue to urge the Commission to adopt the Consensus Proposal as submitted.” The letter offers advice on a panel that would track progress toward ensuring that 100 percent of handsets are eventually HAC-compliant. “At a minimum, the task force participants should include representatives of consumers who use hearing aid devices, research and technical advisors, wireless industry policy and technical representatives, and hearing aid manufacturers,” the letter said. ”However, lack of participation by any task force member will not prevent the task force from proceeding with its work on the schedule provided.” The groups said the task force “should be overseen by a group with technical, legal, and administrative expertise to help manage a consensus-based process that will make a recommendation as to the achievability of a 100 percent HAC compliance requirement, while carefully weighing the needs of both the wireless industry and consumers, including those who use hearing aid devices." The Competitive Carriers Association, CTIA, Hearing Loss Association of America, National Association of the Deaf, Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TDI) and Telecommunications Industry Association signed the letter. It was filed in docket 15-285.