§  68.4   Hearing aid-compatible telephones.

   (a)(1) Except for telephones used with public mobile services,
   telephones used with private radio services, and cordless and secure
   telephones, every telephone manufactured in the United States (other
   than for export) or imported for use in the United States after August
   16, 1989, must be hearing aid compatible, as defined in § 68.316. Every
   cordless telephone manufactured in the United States (other than for
   export) or imported into the United States after August 16, 1991, must
   be hearing aid compatible, as defined in § 68.316.

   (2) Unless otherwise stated and except for telephones used with public
   mobile services, telephones used with private radio services and secure
   telephones, every telephone listed in § 68.112 must be hearing aid
   compatible, as defined in § 68.316.

   (3) A telephone is hearing aid-compatible if it provides internal means
   for effective use with hearing aids that are designed to be compatible
   with telephones which meet established technical standards for hearing
   aid compatibility.

   (4) The Commission shall revoke or otherwise limit the exemptions of
   paragraph (a)((1) of this section for telephones used with public
   mobile services or telephones used with private radio services if it
   determines that (i) such revocation or limitation is in the public
   interest; (ii) continuation of the exemption without such revocation or
   limitation would have an adverse effect on hearing-impaired
   individuals; (iii) compliance with the requirements of § 68.4(a)(1) is
   technologically feasible for the telephones to which the exemption
   applies; and (iv) compliance with the requirements of § 68.4(a)(1)
   would not increase costs to such an extent that the telephones to which
   the exemption applies could not be successfully marketed.

   [ 54 FR 21430 , May 18, 1989, as amended at  55 FR 28763 , July 13, 1990;
    57 FR 27183 , June 18, 1992;  61 FR 42186 , Aug. 14, 1996]