Settlement on Hearing Aid Compatibility Rules for Wireless Phones

June 2013 — The Federal Communications Commission has settled with Airadigm Communications and TeleGuam Holdings following investigations into lack of compliance with hearing aid compatibility rules. The rules ensure that people with hearing aids are able to use wireless phones “without excessive feedback or noise.”  Airadigm and TeleGuam Holdings have agreed to pay $260,000 and $280,000 in voluntary payments respectively, in addition to ensuring future compliance through “robust compliance plans that include new operating procedures, comprehensive training of employees and agents, and periodic reporting requirements.”  Commenting on the settlement, Acting FCC Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn noted that “Wireless technology is transforming the very fabric of our lives. We must continue to ensure that all Americans – regardless of their hearing disability or where they live – can enjoy the benefits these technologies have to offer.”