by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
Finding a cell phone that is loud enough for people with severe hearing losses can be a challenge. Following is what Sarah discovered when she went looking for a new cell phone she could hear.
Sarah wrote:
I love my new bluetooth-equipped LG 8100 flip-style cell phone. It has really good volume and tone for me. With my hearing aids in, I can hear much better on my new phone than I could on my old one. Also, it has a pretty good Speakerphone with dual speakers on it–much better than most cell phones have. I’ve noticed I can hear on the earpiece a lot better with no “whistling” from my hearing aid. However, I always need more volume.
One more thing that is great about my LG8100 is that when it rings a little strobe light flashes, so even if I don’t hear it, I can see it flashing! It’s great for me! Also, the ringer on this phone is very loud.
I am also very impressed with my husband’s new LG 4650 flip phone from Verizon. It has a spectacularly-loud Speakerphone on it–the best I’ve ever heard! I can even hear through the Speakerphone and also the earpiece on that phone when I don’t have my hearing aids in, which is remarkable for me. I’m amazed. It’s even louder than the LG8100 I purchased.
I would have gotten the LG 4650, but I wanted one with Bluetooth and a camera. Unfortunately, the LG 4650 doesn’t have either, but it is a very good phone in all other ways, including a nice interior color display. It is tri-band (picks up both digital and analog signals), so has very good reception. The LG 4650 would be a great phone for hard-of-hearing people–in fact, when I’ve listened to voice messages played back on his phone through the Speakerphone with the volume turned up high, it was so loud it actually hurt my ears when I was wearing my hearing aids!
If you are having difficulty hearing on a cell phone, and are in the market for a new phone, you might want to check out either of these phones. Like Sarah, you also might be pleasantly surprised.