Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC)

Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) is a US FCC rating system, established in 2003 and updated through 2020, for how well a wireless phone works with hearing aids. The rating has two parts: M-rating (acoustic/microphone coupling — useful for hearing aids in microphone mode) and T-rating (telecoil/inductive coupling — useful for hearing aids switched to T-mode). Each is scored 1 to 4, with higher being better. The FCC threshold for a phone to be sold as "hearing aid compatible" is M3 or T3 on at least one mode.

How modern phones rate

Effectively all modern flagship smartphones meet or exceed the M3/T3 threshold:

• iPhone: Every iPhone since the iPhone XR (2018) is rated M3/T4 or better. iPhone 15 and later are M3/T4 with Apple's "Made for iPhone Hearing Aids" Bluetooth Low Energy hearing-aid integration on top.
• Samsung Galaxy: Galaxy S20 onward is rated M3/T3 or M4/T4. The Galaxy S22+ supports Auracast Bluetooth LE Audio for direct hearing-aid streaming on supported aids.
• Google Pixel: Pixel 6 onward is rated M3/T4. Pixel 7+ added direct hearing-aid streaming via ASHA (Android's hearing-aid protocol).

Bluetooth hearing aids vs HAC ratings

Modern hearing aids increasingly stream audio directly from the phone over Bluetooth Low Energy — bypassing the older M/T coupling entirely. For these, the relevant question is whether the phone supports the right BLE protocol:

• Made for iPhone Hearing Aids (MFi): Apple's proprietary BLE protocol. Many premium hearing aids (ReSound, Phonak, Oticon) support it.
• ASHA (Android): Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids — Google's open BLE protocol. Supported by Pixel 3 onward and most recent Samsung devices.
• Auracast / LE Audio: The new cross-platform standard that's replacing both. Supported on iPhone 16, Pixel 8+, and Galaxy S23+ paired with LE-Audio-capable hearing aids.

Carrier choice doesn't affect HAC

HAC is a hardware/firmware property of the phone, not the carrier. Switching from Verizon to Mint Mobile or Consumer Cellular doesn't change your hearing-aid experience. The carrier matters for billing, support, and coverage; the phone matters for hearing-aid compatibility.

Tips for buying a phone for someone with hearing aids

• Check the phone's spec sheet or FCC filing for current M/T ratings (manufacturers list these).
• If the hearing aid is BLE-capable, confirm protocol match (MFi for iPhone, ASHA or Auracast for Android).
• Telecoil-equipped hearing aids (older but still common) work best with phones that have a strong T-rating (T4) — most modern iPhones are T4.
• For loop-system venues (theaters, churches with hearing loops), the hearing aid uses the telecoil regardless of phone choice — this is independent of HAC.