The FCC today levied an $819,000 fine against T-Mobie for its lack of support for hearing-aid compatible handsets.
The FCC originally made its claim against T-Mobile more than two years ago, when it discovered T-Mobile “willfully and repeatedly” failed to comply with rules mandating each carrier offer a certain number of hearing-aid compatible (HAC) handsets.
According to the FCC, T-Mobile violated the rules during 2009 and 2010. The requirements make sure consumers with hearing loss have access to advanced telecommunications services.
The minimum number of HAC phones required to be offered by Tier 1 carriers has evolved over the years, but at the moment 10 handsets or at least 50% of a carriers’ breadth of devices must offer an M3 acoustic coupling, and seven handsets or at least 33% must offer a T3 inductive coupling. T-Mobile attempted to mitigate the fine over the last few years, but its arguments didn’t convince the FCC.
T-Mobile has 30 days to pay the FCC, or it will face the Department of Justice.
