Choose a Phone if You're Hard of Hearing

Telephones are one of the most common means of communication, but they can be hard to use if you can’t always hear the other person. Depending on your personal desires, you can find phones that allow you to increase the volume, communicate via text, or video chat. To choose a phone when you’re hard of hearing, research home phones, pick a good cell phone, and make sure your needs are met.

Steps

Researching Home Phones

1. Look for options to modify your current phone. If you’d prefer to use what you already have, there are options available. For example, you can sync your phone and computer so that your calls are captioned for you on the computer during the conversation.
   • You can find instructions for adapting your current products by visiting http://www.hearingloss.org/content/telephones.
2. Decide if you can rely on your hearing. If you can usually hear conversations without lipreading or using a hearing aid, then an amplified phone may be the best option for you. An amplified phone allows you to increase the volume and adjust the tone of the calls to a level that you can hear.
   • Before buying your phone, ask a few of your friends and relatives to have a conversation with you while covering their mouth so that you can’t see their lips. If you can understand them, then you should be able to use an amplified phone. If you have trouble following the conversation, then you should look for a text supported phone.
   • You may also be able to increase the volume of a ringer on an amplified phone.
   • If you put your amplified phone on speaker phone, then you can also use both ears to hear, instead of just one.
   • Think about the setup of your home when choosing an amplified phone, as you may disturb other residents or neighbors with adjoining walls.
3. Know if you need support for your hearing. If you can hear but sometimes miss words, then consider a phone that allows you to hear the conversation but helps to boost your understanding of what’s being said. A captioned phone provides a transcript of what the other person says to you.
   • If you use a captioned phone, then you need to be able to speak to the other person.
   • You will need high speed internet to use a captioned phone.
4. Decide if you’d like to use a telephone/text relay service. Telephone or text relay allows you to communicate via telephone with your speaking relatives, even if you need to type out your responses to the conversation. You or the person calling you can initiate the service, usually by typing in a code that works in your area. The service will type out what the other person says so that you can read it, then they will read your responses to the other person.
   • There may be a fee for a text relay service.
   • Tell your friends and family that you will be using the service in advance.
   • Go online or ask your local service agency to get the code for your area. Services are available internationally.
5. Know if you will use a hearing aid with your phone. Using a hearing aid may allow you to use a standard telephone, but you’ll want to check the Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) rating to see if the phone will interfere with your hearing aid. Many phones are compatible with hearing aids, but you will need to check for the specific model that you’re interested in purchasing.
   • If a phone is rated as HAC compatible, that means that your phone will deliver the sound straight and smoothly from your handset into your hearing aid.

Picking a Good Cell Phone

1. Consider if you feel comfortable using a cellphone. Cellphones can work with hearing aids, allow you to video chat, and provide an easy way to have text conversations. You can also use a captioning service on your cellphone so that you can have supported voice conversations with people.
2. Check the texting features. If you know that you like to text a lot, consider how texting works on each phone. Some phones have keypads, whether they are digital or built into the phone. Other phones require you to press the number keys a certain number of times in order to text. While those phones may be economical, they make it harder to text.
   • Check your phone plan for texting fees. You may have to pay per text message if you don’t have a contract that includes unlimited text messages.
3. Look for features for the hearing impaired. Some phones allow you to increase the volume to levels that meet your needs or to use a headset. You can also find phones that have vibrating options for both calls and text messages, which can help you if you have trouble hearing the ring.
   • If you choose a smartphone, you will also have access to the internet.
4. Ask if video calling will be an option. Talk to your friends and relatives to discuss the option of using video calling features. While you may still struggle with hearing the other side of the conversation, video calls allow you to see the other person while you talk to them, so you will be able to support your hearing with lipreading. You will also have the benefit of using both ears to hear, as opposed to holding the phone speaker to one ear.
   • Skype allows for video calling either on your computer or on your cellphone.
   • If you have an iPhone or iPad, you can Facetime with others who use these devices.
5. Check your cellphone’s Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC). Cellphones are rated on their ability to interact with hearing aids. Hearing aids can interfere with the microphone of the cell phone, and the cellphone can interfere with the telecoils in the hearing aid.
   • Microphone (M) ratings run from M1-M4, with M-4 representing the best quality. Telecoil (T) ratings run from T1-T4, with T4 being the best rating. The highest HAC rating is a M4/T4.

Making Sure Your Needs Are Met

1. Decide if you will communicate verbally. Some phones for the hard of hearing include features that allow you to increase the volume of the conversation or read a transcript of what the other person is saying. These features rely on the hard of hearing person to still communicate their side of the conversation verbally.
2. Consider how often you walk around while on the phone. Cordless phones can be really convenient, but corded phones transmit sound better. Since you’re hard of hearing, choosing a corded phone is your best option to support your hearing; however, you can still make a cordless phone work for you if you use a hearing aid or choose a model that allows you to adjust the sound.
   • You can also find combo packages that allow you to switch from corded to cordless so that you can use what is convenient for you.
3. Know if you will need to text. Cell phones are set up for easy texting, so they may be a great option for you if you feel comfortable communicating via text. In addition to texting via a cell phone, some services like text relay allow you to text your responses to the person you’re communicating with, which is then read to them by a phone operator.
   • Make sure that you are able to read the text.
4. Check for special features if you’re visually impaired. If you also have difficulty seeing, you can find phones that have bigger fonts and easier to see buttons, which makes it easier to see what you need to press. You may also be able to find captioned phones that have larger type on the call transcripts.
5. Look for support options if you have dexterity issues. If you have trouble keeping a steady hand or accurately pressing tiny buttons, you can get a phone that has large buttons and bigger, simple controls. These features make it easier to use your phone without accidentally calling the wrong person, ending a call, or pressing buttons during a conversation.
6. Look for phones that have enhanced rings. If you have trouble hearing your phone ring, you can find phones, such as a ToneCaller, that make an extra sound when they ring. You can also find phones that light up when they ring so that you can see that a call is coming through. These features offer you added support for receiving calls.

Tips

• You may be able to obtain assistive phones for free from your city or state commission office.
• Explain to your friends and relatives how you wish to communicate via telephone so that they tailor their calls to meet your needs.

Warnings

• If you don’t know who the caller is, be careful about how you respond to statements you don’t understand. The call could be from a telemarketer.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Get a Job As a Deaf or Hard Of Hearing Person
• Be a Deaf or Hard of Hearing Parent
• Pick a School for Your Deaf or Hard of Hearing Child
• Start College if You're Deaf or Hard of Hearing
• Pick Hearing Assistive Technology
• Teach a Deaf or Hard of Hearing Student
• Communicate With Deaf People
• Hear TV Sound Without Blasting Everyone Else Out
• Communicate With a Deaf Person
• Ask a Deaf Person for a Date

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