Hearing Loop Systems & Telecoils: What are They, And How Do I Use Them?
What is a hearing loop? What is a telecoil?
Maybe you’ve heard about ‘loop systems’ or ‘hearing loops’ from your audiologist. Maybe you’ve seen signs indicating that a church or theater is ‘looped.’ But what is a hearing loop in the first place, and how can you use it?
A hearing loop system (an audio induction loop) is a wireless sound system that is installed in many public locations. In simple terms, it can send the signal from a facility’s sound system directly to your hearing aids. This allows you to hear the event (like a public speaker, music, or play) like it’s happening right in front of you, instead of from a distance or up on a stage. A loop system can be very helpful if you’re seated far away from the sound source, or if there is background noise. A telecoil, or T-coil, is a small coil of wire that can be placed in a hearing aid or cochlear implant. It is what allows your hearing device to ‘tune in’ to a loop system.
What kinds of places have loop systems, and how can I tell if a location is looped?
Some commonly looped locations include churches, schools, theaters, courtrooms, public service areas, and public transportation. However, you may not be able to tell if a location is looped just by walking in. Just like Bluetooth or the radio, loop systems aren’t something you can physically see. Areas that are looped may display a blue sign with a picture of an ear and the letter “T.” If you are unsure whether a location is looped, you can ask an employee who works there. Or, you can simply activate the telecoil mode in your hearing aids to ‘tune in’ to the loop. (Don’t worry, we’ll explain how to do that next.)
How do I use a loop system?
In order to use a loop system, you need hearing aids with a built-in telecoil. If you’re not sure whether or not your hearing aids include a telecoil, give us a call/text (405-241-2728) or email (info@ashaud.com). Not all hearing aids come with a telecoil, so make sure you let your audiologist know that you want a telecoil in your hearing aids if you want to take advantage of loop systems.
Not only do your hearing aids need a telecoil to use a loop, they also need to be set up to switch into telecoil mode. Your audiologist can show you how to do this. Usually, you can press a button on the hearing aid to enable T-coil mode, or use an app on your phone. Then, you can press the same button or use the same app to switch out of T-coil mode and go back to your hearing aid’s normal settings.
To use a loop system, simply enter a looped location and enable T-coil mode on your hearing aids. Think of it like switching on the radio in your car. Activating T-coil mode allows your hearing aids to ‘tune in’ to the sound signal from the loop. When you leave the loop, the signal will no longer be picked up by your hearing aids. Make sure to deactivate T-coil mode when you’re not in an area with a loop system, or else your hearing aids may sound strange.
Can phones be looped?
Yes! The FCC requires that all workplace, public, and emergency phones are hearing aid compatible, meaning they include a telecoil. Technically, phones aren’t ‘looped,’ they are compatible with telecoils. However, this works almost exactly the same way as public loop systems do. When you’re using a public phone, simply activate T-coil mode in your hearing aids, exactly like you would to tune into a loop system. This will send the signal from the phone directly to your hearing aids.
Nowadays, most cell phones connect to hearing aids via Bluetooth, not with a telecoil. So don’t activate your T-coil when talking on your cell phone - that will just make it harder to hear.
Where can I get more information about loop systems and telecoils?
This article contains a very basic explanation of loop systems and telecoils. The science behind how they work is complicated, but you don’t need to know exactly how a loop system works to use one. Talk to your audiologist if you have more questions about loop systems or telecoils. Or, you can find answers to more commonly-asked questions about loop systems at HearingLoop.org. For a technical explanation of how loop systems work, you can watch the video below.