**DA 05-1134**

**April 25, 2005**

**OET Clarifies Use of Revised Wireless Phone Hearing Aid Compatibility
Standard**

**Measurement Procedures and Rating Nomenclature**

In the *Hearing Aid Compatibility Report and Order*,[^1] the Commission
required that digital wireless phones be capable of operating
effectively with hearing aids based on certain performance measurement
standards contained in the 2001 version of ANSI C63.19, "*American
National Standard for Methods of Measurement of Compatibility between
Wireless Communication Devices and Hearing Aids, ANSI C63.19-2001*."[^2]
On April 13, 2005, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
Accredited Standards Committee C63 for Electromagnetic Compatibility
Subcommittee 8 (Medical Devices) (ANSI ASC C63 SC8) (the ANSI Committee)
informed the Commission that it recently adopted and released a draft
version of an updated hearing aid compatibility standard, ANSI
C63.19-2005.[^3] The ANSI Committee requests that the Commission: (1)
adopt the updated standard after its final approval by ANSI, and (2)
accept testing to the draft ANSI C63.19-2005 standard prior to ANSI's
final approval of the standard.[^4] Today, we provide for the second
action. As set forth below, the Office of Engineering and Technology
(OET) has determined that applicants for hearing aid compatibility
certification may rely on either the 2001 or draft 2005 version of ANSI
C63.19.

Pursuant to the *Hearing Aid Compatibility Report and Order*, the
Commission encouraged the relevant stakeholders to review the standard
periodically to determine whether improvements to the standard are
warranted.[^5] The Commission also delegated to the Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau in coordination with OET, the authority to
approve future versions of the hearing aid compatibility standard.[^6]
The ANSI Petition indicates that the revised standard is the result of
cooperative efforts among the various parties to clarify the testing
methods and to better ensure repeatability of test results.[^7] In
addition, the ANSI Petition states that the updated standard
incorporates a new nomenclature for specifying the radio frequency
interference and inductive coupling ratings of wireless phones to make
the ratings easier for

consumers to understand.[^8] Finally, the ANSI Petition reports that
ANSI must complete several administrative steps prior to formally
adopting the updated standard.[^9] Although the draft standard will now
be reviewed by the IEEE, and then will be subject to a public review
process before being published by ANSI, the ANSI Petition requests that
the Commission immediately accept use of the revised standard for
equipment certification given ANSI's belief that use of the draft
standard will yield more consistent and reliable measurement
results.[^10]

The Commission's rules require that manufacturers certify compliance
with the test requirements under the equipment approval procedures in
Part 2 of its rules.[^11] OET has reviewed the draft standard and
determined that the technical criteria used to determine compatibility
have not changed from the 2001 version of the standard. Further, OET
finds that the various clarifications and improvements in the standard
will advance the Commission's objective of ensuring hearing aid
compatibility for digital wireless phones. Accordingly, consistent with
47 C.F.R. §§ 0.241(b) and 2.947(a), OET will accept applications for
certification of equipment tested and rated under the revised draft
standard "American National Standard for Methods of Measurement of
Compatibility between Wireless Communication Devices and Hearing Aids,
ANSI C63.19-2005" for all wireless phone hearing aid compatibility
testing and rating, as specified in Section 20.19 of the rules,
effective immediately.

Applicants for certification may rely on either the 2001 or 2005 version
of ANSI C63.19 and must identify which version they are using for
compatibility testing and for rating wireless phones, consistent with 47
C.F.R. § 2.947 (b). OET will certify equipment that meets the
compatibility requirements which has been tested and rated using the
procedures specified in either version of the standard, pending further
action by the Commission to modify the rules to reference the revised
version of ANSI C63.19. Allowing the use of the new measurement and
rating procedures now should assist manufacturers and carriers in
meeting the September 16, 2005, deadline for providing handset models
that comply with the radio frequency interference requirements of §
20.19(b).

The Commission will permit Telecommunications Certification Bodies
(TCBs) to review and issue grants for such devices after the planned
training session on May 10-13, 2005.  If a device is submitted for
certification prior to the May training, the TCB should seek guidance
from Commission staff.

Finally, with respect to the ANSI Committee's request that the
Commission adopt the updated standard after final approval by ANSI, the
Commission, and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau in coordination
with OET, will consider whether to incorporate the updated standard into
the Commission's rules after ANSI's final approval and publication of
the updated standard.

Office of Engineering and Technology Contact: Martin Perrine (301)
362-3025 or <martin.perrine@fcc.gov>.

[^1]: Section 68.4(a) of the Commission's Rules Governing Hearing Aid
    Compatibility, *Report and Order*, WT Docket No. 01-309, 18 FCC Rcd
    16753 (2003); *erratum*, 18 FCC Rcd 18047 (2003).

[^2]: *See id*. at 16776-79 ¶¶ 55-64.

[^3]: *See* Petition of ANSI ASC C63 SC8, WT Docket No. 01-309 (filed
    Apr. 13, 2005) (ANSI Petition). The revised standard is available
    for purchase from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic
    Engineers (IEEE) at <http://shop.ieee.org/ieeestore/>.

[^4]: ANSI Petition at 1.

[^5]: *See Hearing Aid Compatibility Report and Order*, 18 FCC Rcd at
    16779 ¶ 63.

[^6]: *See id.*

[^7]: *See* ANSI Petition at 2.

[^8]: *See id*.

[^9]: *See id*. at 2-3.

[^10]: *See* ANSI Petition at 2.

[^11]: *See* 47 C.F.R. § 20.19.