What's the best Phone for Deaf people?

Bottesini, yes, I read all that on the Phonak site, and it all sounds good. Sounding good and really being effective are two different things, though.

I have a T-coil on my hearing aids and don't find that it's very useful. I actually can use our landline phone a little better with just the regular program on the aids.

I tried to use a cell phone with a neck loop. Sound came through the T-coil. It was not effective for me at all. The sound was very buzzy and distorted. I gave up on it.

IF this Phonak thingie makes phone calls sound like normal conversation, or close to it, I'd really be interested. I can't quite figure out if it's basically an FM transmission, which would be pretty decent. I've had good luck using an FM microphone/receiver system in the past.

If it sounds like a T-coil transmission, forget it.
 
Bottesini, yes, I read all that on the Phonak site, and it all sounds good. Sounding good and really being effective are two different things, though.

I have a T-coil on my hearing aids and don't find that it's very useful. I actually can use our landline phone a little better with just the regular program on the aids.

I tried to use a cell phone with a neck loop. Sound came through the T-coil. It was not effective for me at all. The sound was very buzzy and distorted. I gave up on it.

IF this Phonak thingie makes phone calls sound like normal conversation, or close to it, I'd really be interested. I can't quite figure out if it's basically an FM transmission, which would be pretty decent. I've had good luck using an FM microphone/receiver system in the past.

If it sounds like a T-coil transmission, forget it.
Sorry. I don't know what your hearing loss is like. Maybe your audiologist would let you try it before you buy it?
 
Maybe. Although I thought I could just order it from Phonak directly. I found it on their site, not through my audi recommending it. But maybe I can't buy it that way? It's true that all my other stuff I've ordered through an audiologist.

I have about a 90db loss, but with hearing aids, I function pretty well in the hearing world (the only world I really know) for the most part, with the exception of being able to use the phone. And with aggravations listening to the car radio.

All I want is a phone that I can use to communicate, be it by hearing or with text, with my family. I don't want to play games, watch movies, get immediate stock reports, all the other bells and whistles. Just a plain ol' phone that lets me call and understand people.
 
Maybe. Although I thought I could just order it from Phonak directly. I found it on their site, not through my audi recommending it. But maybe I can't buy it that way? It's true that all my other stuff I've ordered through an audiologist.

I have about a 90db loss, but with hearing aids, I function pretty well in the hearing world (the only world I really know) for the most part, with the exception of being able to use the phone. And with aggravations listening to the car radio.

All I want is a phone that I can use to communicate, be it by hearing or with text, with my family. I don't want to play games, watch movies, get immediate stock reports, all the other bells and whistles. Just a plain ol' phone that lets me call and understand people.

Text? Check Virgin Mobile . Cheap and reliable . I don;t know if their voice is good as I only use text.
 
What actual phone do you use?

I had Virgin Mobile on my old cheap cell phone (which I have, uh, lost....) but texting was a pain, because it was the press once, press twice, press three times deal with picking out the letters. I want a new phone with a keyboard.

I so rarely used my old phone that I stocked it up with $25 worth of minutes at a time, and that amount would last me for months and months.

Obviously I can get along without a phone pretty well, but every so often I feel like I should join the modern world.
 
What actual phone do you use?

I had Virgin Mobile on my old cheap cell phone (which I have, uh, lost....) but texting was a pain, because it was the press once, press twice, press three times deal with picking out the letters. I want a new phone with a keyboard.

I so rarely used my old phone that I stocked it up with $25 worth of minutes at a time, and that amount would last me for months and months.

Obviously I can get along without a phone pretty well, but every so often I feel like I should join the modern world.

Kyocera Loft. Like a fake Blackberry. But I will be getting an Android when my husband's contract runs out and we will both be using Virgin Mobile.
 
Has anyone used this "Click and Talk" system from Phonak?

Click'nTalk - Overview | Phonak - life is on

Does it work well and sound natural?
It only works with Sony Ericsson mobile phones.

Enjoy mobile phone conversations without thinking about the technology. Compact Click'nTalk fits into the base of a variety of Sony Ericsson mobile phones and provides unmatched sound quality to both ears simultaneously. Just click and enjoy!
 
Ah, I had not noticed that little detail. Thanks for pointing it out.
I know. I think that is the only place they put that. All the other info makes it sound like it will work with any cellphone.
I use an iCom with my Phonak Naidas. I like it. It's better than t-coil neckloop. The phone bluetooths to the iCom which then "fms" to my HAs.
 
I read a comment somewhere on AD that a sidekick service will be no longer in the business this May. That's all I know of.

I think I was told that a hearie owner bought Sidekick Company, but I am not sure because I don't feel like to find out more information about it.
 
I have about a 90db loss, but with hearing aids, I function pretty well in the hearing world (the only world I really know) for the most part, with the exception of being able to use the phone. And with aggravations listening to the car radio.

All I want is a phone that I can use to communicate, be it by hearing or with text, with my family. I don't want to play games, watch movies, get immediate stock reports, all the other bells and whistles. Just a plain ol' phone that lets me call and understand people.

Beach girl
I seem to be in a very similar situation to you (may even be close to the same age based on your avator photo). I use a full size TTY at home similar to what is shown in post #31. It is FREE through a program from the State of Illinois. Most states do seem to offer something in the way of equipment with certification of loss. But, that does nothing for when on the go.

My story is that of a VCO Relay User who DOES NOT text (you need someone to text to!) or sign.

A number years ago I thought I had the problem solved with the PVCO from Krown (http://www.krownmfg.com/us/images/brochure/pvco.c.pdf ). Mine is from the pre-connector days but I still keep it strapped on the handset of one of my extension phones which is a cordless phone that can recharge, etc. with the receiver in what appears to be an upside-down state and the PVCO can stay in place and it works well for that. Then analog cell service ended. I thought I had found the answer in the PocketComm, (http://www.krownmfg.com/us/images/instruct/pocketcomm.pdf sorry they no longer have a brochure on their site thus the link to the manual which has a drawing rather than a photo of the device) also from Krown. But. . . it has proved much less sturdy than a cell phone although I find it works well when in good condition. I have gotten tired of spending about $100 for repair or replacement yearly when during that time I have had NO repairs to a cell phone carried in another compartment of the same pouch in my purse. Thus, I have been on my own search. I asked if there were others here on AD that had used the Ultratec Compac/C ( Ultratec » Products » Text Telephones » Portable TTYs » Compact/C ) and really didn’t find out much.

I have explored the service at Hamilton CapTel: Mobile CapTel: What is Mobile CapTel? and http://www.consumercellular.com/MobileCaptions and a few others that I have lost track of. The problem for me is that they take advantage of the simultaneous voice & data that AT&T’s 3G service offers. I am in a 2G area that AT&T has NO plans to upgrade to 3G. AT &T also does not have ANY service in one area I go to that is about 20-25 miles away. Now Sprint has something in development that appears to be getting closer. See Captioned Telephone Services by Sprint CapTel about what is out now in the way of information.

What I am currently checking out is WebCapTel. I know of a version by both Hamilton and Sprint. A support rep with CapTel agrees with me that it makes sense that the browser in a smartphone could be used in place of the browser on a computer. But, he knows of no one that has actually tried it and reported how will it did or didn’t work to them. I am getting a used Blackberry setup on PagePlus (a Verizon MVNO as Verizon has the best coverage in my area and Page Plus has the better rates) and will try it in combination with my current cell on a different account (but also using Verizon towers).
 
Thank you; so do I!! :lol: That's Casey; the picture was taken last summer. He is about 2 1/2 years old now.

Jane B., thanks for the detailed information. I'll look into the Sprint site you mentioned.

One complication I have is that we spend about 7 months of the year near Washington, D.C., and the other 5 months in North Carolina. So I need to get a plan that doesn't have roaming charges. My old cellphone that I just paid for the minutes as I used them was good in that respect.
 
Thank you; so do I!! :lol: That's Casey; the picture was taken last summer. He is about 2 1/2 years old now.

Jane B., thanks for the detailed information. I'll look into the Sprint site you mentioned.

One complication I have is that we spend about 7 months of the year near Washington, D.C., and the other 5 months in North Carolina. So I need to get a plan that doesn't have roaming charges. My old cellphone that I just paid for the minutes as I used them was good in that respect.

Here is a site that I have liked that is all about different carriers, models of cell phones and operating systems on smartphones HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource. Be sure to scroll down the whole page to see just how many different forums are on it.

There is a good chance that you could stay with the company you are with but just change phones. If you go with a "smarter" phone it may cost you a bit more because of using more data or having to add data but I suggest you check there first.

My cell has been more of an emergency and casual use item than on constantly and used for games etc. as well as phone calls. Thus, I have used TracFone for years. I originally picked them because they were the one company that gave a display that I could read balance and due date on every time I turned the phone on. I am in the habit of buying cards that keep it activated for a year for just over $100 by the time the local sales tax is included. And that is somewhat offset by buying at a local drug store that earns me more "points" when charged to a certain credit card than it would if purchased at another type of store. That equals just over $8 per month and I don't have to keep remembering to refill with my very low use. That may change if I get to go to a one device solution in the future.
 
Wow. Just glanced at that site and there is a LOT of info. Will read further. Thanks.
 
I've heard lots of good reviews for iPhone - mostly for the AT&T (GSM) version. I don't know enough about the Verizon (CDMA) version to make a guess though.
 
I've heard lots of good reviews for iPhone - mostly for the AT&T (GSM) version. I don't know enough about the Verizon (CDMA) version to make a guess though.

GSM is great for worldwide than CDMA. CDMA is better coverage than GSM in USA.
 
I read a comment somewhere on AD that a sidekick service will be no longer in the business this May. That's all I know of.

I think I was told that a hearie owner bought Sidekick Company, but I am not sure because I don't feel like to find out more information about it.

that's for the older sidekicks. All Sidekicks from LX2009 and older will no longer be fully useable by May 31 due to Danger Inc. going out of business/closing. T-Mobile has a new Android-based Sidekick coming out this spring that will work on the T-mobile server (old Sidekicks used Danger's server). I have the LX2009 and will have to get a new phone.. still a bit annoyed about it but whatever.
 
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