by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A man wrote: “I found your website (http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/) with a keyword search via Google, and I’m grateful for the helpful information on it. I wear two Phonak hearing aids with telecoils. I haven’t used them so far, but I’m now shopping for a cell phone, and I believe my t-coils will be very helpful to me.
I’m looking online for a cell phone with M3-M4 and T3-T4 capability, and I’ve found several that seem suitable. I don’t want (and don’t need) the gizmos on most phones nowadays—camera, video, e-mail, messaging, exotic ring tones, etc. Can you recommend a “plain Jane” phone with M3-M4 and T3-T4 built-in?”
If you want a really plain and simple cell phone and system, have a look at the Jitterbug phones. They are simple and easy to use. They are also engineered for hard of hearing people. If you want to check them out, snoop around the Jitterbug web site to see if these phones may meet your needs.
According to the Jitterbug website:
Jitterbug phones feature a padded earpiece that’s not only more comfortable (especially for customers who wear a hearing aid), but keeps unwanted noise out. Plus, the volume adjusts from low to super-high, and has a speakerphone option that appears when you move through the volume choices. The volume can also be adjusted while you are on the call. The newest Jitterbug phones have the latest hearing aid compatibility technology called “T-coil” to ensure the best sound quality for those with hearing aids.
Note that Jitterbug phones have the highest hearing aid compatibility rating (M4/T4) although it doesn’t specifically say this on their website.
The one feature Jitterbug phones don’t currently have that you may find you want is a 2.5 mm headset jack. Without this jack, you can’t use these phones with t-links and neckloops. However, if you find you can hear well with just your hearing aids and/or t-coils just by holding the phone up to your ear, they should work just fine for you.