Reminder: Wireless Handset Manufacturer Hearing Aid Compatibility Status Report Due July 16, 2012

FCC Form 655 – Wireless Handset Manufacturer Hearing Aid Compatibility Status Report

All manufacturers of wireless handsets that are used in the delivery of digital commercial mobile radio service (“CMRS”), specified in section 20.19 of the Federal Communication Commission’s (“FCC” or ​“Commission”) rules, 47 C.F.R. § 20.19, must file, by midnight EDT July 16, 2012, FCC Form 655 reporting on the status of the manufacturer’s compliance with the FCC’s rule 20.19 hearing aid compatible handset requirements. FCC Form 655 must be submitted electronically via the FCC’s website and is available on the FCC’s website.

Who Must file:

All manufacturers of wireless handsets that are used in the delivery of digital commercial mobile radio service that comes within the scope of rule 20.19 below.

Rule 20.19 applies to providers of digital CMRS in the United States, and manufacturers of the wireless handsets that are used in the delivery of the digital CMRS services, that meet the following specifications:

(i) to the extent that they offer real-time, two-way switched voice or data service that is interconnected with the public switched network; and

(ii) utilize an in-network switching facility that enables the provider to reuse frequencies and accomplish seamless hand-offs of subscriber calls; and

(iii) such service is provided over frequencies in the 800-950 MHz or 1.6-2.5 GHz bands using any air interface for which technical standards are stated in the standard document ​“American National Standard Methods of Measurement of Compatibility Between Wireless Communication Devices and Hearing Aids.” (ANSI C63.19-2007 (June 8, 2007)).

Time Period Covered by Report

The report covers the time period July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012. Information in the report must be up-to-date as of June 30, 2012.

Please be advised that attorneys in Kelley Drye & Warren’s Communications practice group are experienced in addressing issues related to the hearing aid compatibility handset reports. For more information regarding this client advisory, please contact your usual Kelley Drye attorney or any member of the Communications practice group.