FCC rules on hearing-aid compatibility for rural carriers

The Federal Communications Commission took mixed action on various waiver requests of regional and small mobile phone carriers for relief from hearing-aid compatibility rules.
Agency guidelines required non-nationwide cellular carriers to offer at least two HAC-enabled wireless handset models for each wireless network technology, and to meet certain labeling requirements by Sept. 16, 2005. Nineteen non-nationwide carriers filed waiver requests that sought deadline extensions, contending hearing-aid compatible phones were not available to them as of the Sept. 16, 2005, date.
The FCC approved waiver requests of Dobson Communications, SunCom Wireless, Iowa Wireless, South Slope Wireless, and Virgin Mobile. The agency granted in part and denied in part waiver request by Pine Cellular, South Central Utah Telephone Assoc., CC Communications, IT&E Overseas and UBET Wireless. Waiver requests by XIT Cellular, Blue Sky Communications, CT Cube, WUE, Cellular Phone of Kentucky and Litchfield County Cellular were rejected. The agency dismissed as unnecessary waiver requests filed by Leaco Rural Telephone Cooperative, SLO Cellular and Entertainment Unlimited.