The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has decided to extend the transition period for the new hearing aid compatibility (HAC) requirements.

By extending by six months the transition period for the technical standard referred to in section 20.19(b) of the hearing aid compatibility rules, the FCC ensures that handset manufacturers can continue to release the latest handset models that achieve hearing aid compatibility.

Screenshot of the FCC document

The rule requires that, from 5 June 2023, handset manufacturers must certify new handset models for HAC using the 2019 edition of the ANSI standard and may no longer certify them using the 2011 edition.
The FCC took this step to ensure that manufacturers can continue to certify new handset models with improved hearing aid compatibility under the 2011 edition of the ANSI standard while the FCC considers the waiver request filed by ATIS, which asks for changes to the 2019 edition of the ANSI standard so that handsets with a reduced volume control test method can pass HAC certification.
With this short extension, the FCC allows handset manufacturers to continue using either the 2011 or the 2019 edition of the ANSI standard for HAC certification of new handset models until 5 December 2023.
The FCC expects that during this six-month transition period handset manufacturers will honour their commitment to incorporate new technology in the models they release, which will benefit consumers, especially those with hearing limitations. Continuing to certify new handset models for HAC is essential to the commitment of the Commission to achieve 100% hearing aid compatibility coverage for wireless handsets.