Is your hearing with your CI good enough to speak on the phone?

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Jules

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Hi everyone!

Is your hearing with your CI good enough to speak on the phone?

For me, at first wasn't easy, I couldn't understand a single word... But with lots of pacience and practice now I can hear every single word from the other person when I'm on the phone.

I'm N5 CI user.
 
Depends on who I am talking to.

Some people are crystal clear, others sound like gibberish.

People with British accents are easier to understand, as they emphasize on syllables better.
 
oh heck no! I've only been activated for a week though, so I'm a newbie CI user. :) But I am going to keep working at it with my CI on, trying to make sense of the world of sounds around me.
 
Nope. The doctors were so sure that I would be able to after some time with the CI's, but it never happened. It seems like my brain just doesn't want to learn to hear on the phone.
 
It depends. If deaf ppl got cochlear at early age like 1-2 years old, they obviously are great at hearing with phone.

Or ppl with two cochlears are also good at hearing with phone.

Me. Nah. I prefer having Sorenson VRS because I love doing with my ASL.
 
Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

yjgstahc said:
It depends. If deaf ppl got cochlear at early age like 1-2 years old, they obviously are great at hearing with phone.

Or ppl with two cochlears are also good at hearing with phone.

Me. Nah. I prefer having Sorenson VRS because I love doing with my ASL.
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Actually that's not always true - there are a number of people who got CIs early but aren't able to use phones.

Each CI user is very unique - there are so many factors involved that can influence outcome.
 
Yes, I am able to use the phone. I haven't used a relay service since being activated. I was able to use the phone a month after activation. I am an Advanced Bionics user.
 
yjgstahc said:
It depends. If deaf ppl got cochlear at early age like 1-2 years old, they obviously are great at hearing with phone.

Or ppl with two cochlears are also good at hearing with phone.

Me. Nah. I prefer having Sorenson VRS because I love doing with my ASL.
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Bingo, Had mine since 2 and been able to hear on the phone flawless. However, it does depend on the phone. I did find that AB harmony was much easier to listen on the phone compare to my cochlear n5
 
I am unable to use my Advanced Bionics-Harmony Implant on a regular telephone right from the start almost 5 years ago.
MY brother with the same Implant can use a regular telephone now.

I understand from Sunnybrook/Toronto-their experience- 1 out of 2 can.

No problem for me: just continued using my UltraTech 1140 TTY. Purchased in Jan/96.
 
Hmm interesting. As someone who hopes to get CI soon and cannot even use phone at the moment with HA, this thread is informative and slightly worrying.
 
Welcome to AllDeaf.com lucas

Kaze105- what is to worry about? Your first concern should to get healed from the Implant operation. After activation: whether you can or can't hear on a regular telephone can be determined.
 
No, I don't find myself understanding people all the time on the phone. When i try to use t-coil, I hear a lot of static noise going on with the phone and my processor. I have no clue why! but, I found that if i use my personal audio cable, the one i use for ipod, video. It's a lot easier for me to really understand what the person is saying. It was almost like wearing an FM system, except you had no static. So, i perfer using that, but the bad thing about it is that you have to plug in the cord, and it takes awhile. Especially when someone is trying to call you and you have to say "hold on" while you're getting yourself situated. :D
 
That sounds interesting.. so personal audio cable can be used for phone calls too? I'll try it when I buy a new phone (the actual one doesn't have 3,5 jack so I can't use the cable).
I don't like t-coil too, because the buzzing there is annoying and disturbing, so I prefer "normal" calling - with loudspeakers. I can call with my mother without problems, but when I tried it with my friend, it was quite bad :)
 
Kaze105 said:
Hmm interesting. As someone who hopes to get CI soon and cannot even use phone at the moment with HA, this thread is informative and slightly worrying.
Click to expand...

I would just go into it with realistic expectations. Some people receive great auditory benefit from the CI, some don't. If you go into it expecting to hear "normally" and chat on the phone a week after activation you'll probably be disappointed. I'm not saying that's what you expect, but more an example that if you did expect a scenario like that you're potentially setting yourself up for disappointment. As someone says above, every CI user is unique and it's close to impossible to predict with certainty how well someone will do.

We have a poster with a child with bilateral CI's who has no problem chatting on the phone. There are others like Dr. Phil who can't. It just depends on the person.

Try not to worry, and good luck.
 
Those of you talking about a cable that does not fit your current phone — check around there are a number of adapters are the market if it is a matter of one being 2.5mm and the other 3.5mm for example.
 
I know, I have an adapter for my phone, but it doesn't work properly and I'd rather buy a new phone (this one is 4 years old) than a new adapter :)
 
zajko said:
That sounds interesting.. so personal audio cable can be used for phone calls too? I'll try it when I buy a new phone (the actual one doesn't have 3,5 jack so I can't use the cable).
I don't like t-coil too, because the buzzing there is annoying and disturbing, so I prefer "normal" calling - with loudspeakers. I can call with my mother without problems, but when I tried it with my friend, it was quite bad :)
Click to expand...

Life just got a whoooolllllllleeee lot easier when using the personal audio cable for the phone part of it. Its alot like an FM system, only its clearer. I wish the FM system was like this! :D I try to use it often and i try to carry it around with me often. Its almost like a bluetooth. except its a cord :p I like using it for different things. I use it for voicemail too. But not all the time haha
 
I have not been able to use a landline phone since my implant surgeries. I can manage ok on a cell, IF the person I am speaking with speaks clearly and slowly. I too use the cables and that does help a great deal. I choose to use the phone rarely as I find I get headaches when I spend too much time listening. Without the aid of reading lips I have to concentrate really hard to catch what the other person is saying.
 
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