Telecoil - what is it?

Not all hearing aids have a telecoil.

@parkerj242 said:

If I get a HA with Bluetooth, is there any reason for the Telecoil option?

Beside the old fashion telephone with the magnetic speaker in the head set, sometimes if you want to use headphones then telecoil may be useful but not always necessary. My HAs done have telecoil but work OK with headphones.

@Evil_Scientist said:

chances are any aids that you buy will have T-coil capability, but it may not be activated by default.

This statement may be true in the old days, but I’m not so sure it’s true anymore. My OPNs don’t have T-coil. A year later, they finally rolled out an OPN version with the T-coil, but it takes up room and is no longer in a mini-RITE form like before.

I think as Bluetooth technology gets adapted by more and more HAs, the T-coil capability gets dropped more for space savings purpose.

In my opinion, telecoils are a MUST. Makes telephone use super clear.

Rule of thumb: T-coils are include with the models that have size 13 batteries.

ARE YOU CALLING ME OLD???

I agree with that, but adaptation of Bluetooth has been slow in hearing aids, probably because of the battery-life issues.

Telecoil - what is it? Obsolete

http://www.hearingloss.org/sites/default/files/docs/HLAA_Telecoil_Brochure.pdf20

Not all hearing aids have a telecoil. Some hearing aids are not able to have a telecoil. Telecoil is an older technology that is still in use. Most newer hearing aids are not made with telecoil, but can be added if requested at the time you order your hearing aids. You can have a telecoil in your hearing aids, but it must be activated by your audiologist for it to function.

Here is my Telecoil Information Sheet:

Bluetooth and Telecoil are two completely different technologies; they do not conflict with each other. They can be used together or separately. Telecoil is “loop” technology; Bluetooth is “cordless” technology. Their different uses are explained below.

Bluetooth:

• Bluetooth is technology that eliminates cords between devices.
• Both devices must be bluetooth enabled. Some cars have bluetooth, but older cars do not; new TV’s can have Bluetooth while older ones do not.
• For bluetooth to work, you need to “pair” two bluetooth capable devices. They can then communicate, without using cords.
• Some telecoil devices use Bluetooth and some telecoil devices do not.

Telecoil (sometimes called T-coil)

• Telecoil is technology that uses a wired loop to transmit direct sound, from the sound source to your telecoil equipped hearing aid. It may be a neck loop, a table loop, or a loop installed around the room or auditorium, etc. You may or may not see this loop.

• See your hearing aid dispenser to activate telecoil in your hearing aid or cochlear implant. Costco sells the Kirkland hearing aid – with telecoil – at no additional charge. Telecoil is old technology (from the 60’s) and cheap technology. According to HLAA 71% of hearing aids sold in US. automatically have this copper t-coil installed inside. Telecoil is generic technology and can be installed/activated across many models of hearing aids.

• There are advantages/disadvantages between the automatic setting vs. manual telecoil setting:

  • The automatic turns on when it senses the loop–neck loop, building loop, counter top loop, etc. BUT it does not eliminate background noise: it mixes the sound coming from your hearing aid with the telecoil sound! You cannot turn that off.
  • The manual telecoil setting (button on your hearing aid) can be pure telecoil sound with no hearing aid sound–this means you get no background noise when listening to the telecoil direct sound source–which could be a microphone, a computer, a TV etc.
  • If you can choose the “manual” option, you may ask for 2 telecoil settings
    • Pure Telecoil (so it eliminates background noise)
    • Telecoil + Hearing Aid Sound (for example, when you want to talk to the person next to you at the movie.)

• In sum, telecoil helps hearing aid users hear in background noise, by:

  • Providing direct sound from the microphone (or through the head phone jack) to your hearing aids — no sound bouncing off walls, or going through speakers, etc.
  • Blocking out background noise (more background noise is blocked if you have the “manual,” as opposed to the “automatic” setting.)
  • Adjusting this sound to your own hearing aid prescription.

• By purchasing a neck loop (about $60 from Amazon), you can use your telecoil as a kind of noise cancelling device, (using the pure telecoil setting explained above) for a very nominal price! Plug in your neck loop (with an audio cord) to any headphone jack—TV, computer, audiobooks, etc. Using it on the Airplane reduces the airplane background humming noise, while receiving best available sound for their movies. (Note that the new iPhone needs a headphone jack adapter.)

• In many states, hearing aid providers are not required to discuss telecoil with you. Therefore, you may not know anything about this technology. (*HLAA is working to change that, with legislation.)

Auditorium – looped

You can use your telecoil activated hearing aid in many venues, such as churches and auditoriums. If these venues have been looped, with wire around the perimeter of the building, you are automatically inside the wired loop. If looped, there is the letter “T” in the right hand corner of the auditorium hearing aid sign. (see above) If so, just turn on your hearing aid telecoil setting! If there is no “T” on the sign, the auditorium does not have a loop & you will need a neck loop & receiver from the ushers to use your telecoil.

Auditorium – no loop

• Upon arrival you can check out, from the usher, a FM receiver, which looks like a black box and a neck loop.
• Turn on the receiver to verify that it has power and is set to the appropriate channel
• Connect the neck loop to the receiver (same way you did the earphones before). The neck loop substitutes for the earphones and connects to the FM receiver box.
• Put the neck loop around your neck and turn on your hearing aid telecoil.

*HLAA = Hearing Loss Association of America at www.hearingloss.org3

Nicely done.
A couple things in as far as I understand things:
Using a telecoil is equally “cordless” as bluetooth.
I would say more like some loop devices use bluetooth and some don’t.
The neck loop product could also receive via bluetooth (see above)…not just a headphone jack cable.

You replied to user KenP…I haven’t seen him around here for a while. Not sure about his status.

Let me comment on: “Using a telecoil is equally cordless as bluetooth”

Actually I have two neckloops–one is cordless and one is not cordless. I believe that it is the “bluetooth” technology in the one that is cordless that makes it cordless–not telecoil. Telecoil is “loop” technology. . For bluetooth you have to “pair” two devices. For telecoil you don’t do anything like that. I realize that the two technologies can be combined or be separate.

I am not talking here about the hearing aid manufacturers’ technology, as I am not privy to how they combine (or don’t) the two technologies, with their patents, etc. I am only talking about the copper telecoil in your hearing aids, & room/neck/counter looping technology, etc.

You may be talking about the fact that there is no cord between your hearing aids and the neckloop. That is true but that is because of magnetic conduction technology --which is telecoil & not bluetooth. (Notice that you don’t pair your hearing aids with your neckloop.)

Actually I think we are saying the same thing–just expressing it differently.

How does a corded loop work with a telecoil though? That “last mile” is always going to be cordless, over the air, wireless, look ma no cords. From loop earhooks to looped conference rooms…cordless. And it uses induction.
But at this point it’s all semantics. Don’t get me wrong…I’m a fan of them. I looped my tv room. I like the free and open idea and not the closed proprietary methods. The fact that it’s inherently mono is a bit of a drawback though.
I also have the Clearsounds neckloop. It can receive from a cord and bluetooth.