T-Coil Hearing Aid Compatible Hands Free Solution for Blackberry?

One of my users needs to have a handsfree solution, either induction loop or some sort of more traditional headset, that is compatible with his hearing aids and with his BB 7730.

Plantronics "says" that some of their headsets are t-coil hearing aid compatible, but there is NO documentation on their website that explains how. Supposedly, the M175, convertible headset that I have is t-coil compatible, but the user reported that it didn't seem to work. Barring some sort of documentation, it's hard to give more information to the user on how to make it work. Even went so far as to send a support request into Plantronics, but have yet to hear an answer.

Motorola makes a t-coil compatible induction loop, the SYN7875, that has a standard 2.5mm headset plug and doesn't appear to have any features that require a Motorola phone, but their support people couldn't tell me if the device works with any phone with a 2.5mm jack. They certainly couldn't tell me if it works with the BB7730.

At any rate, the user requires a headset that works with his hearing aids so that he can use the phone features of the Blackberry.

If anyone has any information about specific headsets that don't cost an arm and a leg, please let me know. Vendors, here's your chance to get some info out on your products and their compatibility with phones like the BB 7730.

From the research i've done, the information on a lot of the vendor sites in relation to this need is scant at best.

Comments

[Margaret Lockwood]

I am looking for very similar information, for Siemens Prisma 2 hearing aids and Blackberry 7520

[John Carter]

I am also looking for a t-coil device that works with a Treo 650. Any info would be appreciated.

[sabrina]

I am looking for a hands free device for a person who wears a hearing aid in one ear and doesn't want it to interfere with it.

[Ray Gonzales]

I sell accessible cell phones for people with special needs, http://www.etoengineering.com. I sell inductive headsets and neckloops that couple with hearing aids in T-coil mode. Each product line has its pros/cons but the HATIS products that I sell have more clarity compared to the neckloops. Contact me and I can give you advice, provide a quote, and sell you the right solution.

[Chris]

I work for a Starkey Labs (largest U.S. manufacturer of hearing aids) and we have just announced a product called Eli. Eli is a bluetooth add on to your hearing aid that allows for hands wireless communication to your bluetooth compatible phone.

Check out http://www.elihearing.com

[Coz]

A company called Hatis appears to have a device that they say works with most 2.5mm plugs abd most t-coil hearing aids. Here is their web site:

http://www.hatis.com

[Steve]

Starkey have recently released ELI. It is a bluetooth adapter theat plugs into either the DAI on the hearing aid or an induction loop. So it should work woth any Bluetooth capable phone. Problem is, it costs around AUD $600.
http://www.healthyhearing.com/library/news_content.asp?news_id=676

[Dave]

Hatis is a phenomenal product and I would recommend it without qualification. I have the single-ear set with boom mike and it works great, though I should have spent the extra $$ on the two-ear solution as I need all the help I can get. The Motorola neckloop has worked very well for me as well, not just with my Motorola phone but with all the devices with 2.5 mm jacks I've tried it on. Finally Jabra just came out with a headset specifically advertised as T-coil compatible and otherwise designed for hearing-aid wearers. I haven't tried it, but as Jabra is owned by a company with roots in the hearing-aid business I'll bet it works well. I wrote up the Jabra product on my blog, www.HearingMojo.com, in a post at http://www.hearingmojo.com/2005/07/jabras_new_head.html

[Charlie]

Plantronics, hmm. I cannot comment on the availability or otherwise of a hearing aid compatible headset, but I can say that Plantronics, historically, are not my favourite supplier. In a previous existence, I used their products exclusively in a hands free environment, and the headsets were prone to failure IMHO. This was a few years ago mind, but first impressions and all that ...

[Paul]

Here’s a solution – even though this is somewhat after the fact, hopefully this information will be useful to others.

Please visit www.TecEar.com.
At TecEar you will find the T-Link.
T-Link is a phone headset accessory for hearing-impaired people who use T-coil/telecoil to talk on the phone. T-Link uses inductive ear hooks to provide a strong, clear signal to a hearing aid or cochlear implant’s T-coil. T-Link has a good quality built-in microphone and interfaces with most cellular and cordless phones via a 2.5 mm plug. A few hearing-impaired desk phones also have 2.5 mm headset sockets. For those that do not, a RadioShack Headset/Handset Switch with 2.5 mm jack may be the answer.
T-Link comes with single or dual ear hooks depending on the user’s need – ($49 and $59 with free shipping)
Information at:
http://www.tecear.com/TLink.htm
Some customer comments about T-Link at:
http://www.tecear.com/Customer%20Comments.htm

I hope this helps others looking for solutions to assist hard-of-hearing people talk on the phone both at and away from work.

[Sharon Miller]

You can try Clearsounds Amplified Neckloop the CS CL7, which has 2.5 mm jack to plug into any mobile phones. Check out their website - www.clearsounds.com Also Nokia cell phones provide neckloop for their phones, does it amplify? that I do not know. Or you could try the Plantronics Mobile Amplifier the MHA100 used with a regular headset. ELI from Starkey has Bluetooth technology built into it and you can either can use a boot or neckloop as an option. Another more advanced and yet costly product that has bluetooth technology is obtaining a Phonak's "Smartlink" FM system to couple with either boot(s) or "MyLink" neckloop. Smartlink has bluetooth technology in it. Good luck in trying out any of these options.

[Ken Plunk]

I wear ReSound model 770 hearing instruments, and I use the ELI bluetooth adapter with a neckloop. I constantly use this adapter with my Treo 650, and the PLantronics Voyager 500 Desk Phone Adapter for use with the 510 Bluetooth Headset. P/N# 67891-02. All I had to do is perform the pairing to both cell phone and the Voyager 500, and I now have both phone working through my hearing instruments. This works without flaw, and I hear my phone calls without a problem.

[Mike Waterman]

I am looking for an adapter to connect a t-coul neckloop using it's 2.5mm male plug to an Avaya 2400 series phone.

I've been dead ended, please HELP!