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FCC Encyclopedia

Hearing Aid Compatibility for Wireless Telephones

The Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988 (HAC Act) generally requires that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ensure that telephones manufactured or imported for use in the United States after August 1989, and all essential telephones, are hearing aid-compatible. When Congress passed the Act in 1988, it specifically exempted telephones used with public mobile services (wireless telephones) from these requirements. To ensure that the HAC Act kept pace with the evolution of telecommunications, however, Congress granted the FCC a means to revoke or limit the exemption for wireless telephones.

To learn more, see our Hearing Aid Compatibility for Wireless Telephones guide.


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