telecoils and loop listening systems

By Andrea Kaneb

What is a telecoil?

A telecoil (t-coil) is a coil of copper wire that you can find within many hearing aids and all CIs. It serves as a tiny audio receiver. More specifically, the telecoil receives the audio from an induction loop system. Together, telecoils and loop listening systems provide the ultimate in hearing accessibility in public spaces.

How does an induction loop listening system work?

An induction loop system wirelessly transmits audio from a sound system. To do so, it uses electricity and a magnetic field. The system works by passing audio energy from one loop of wire to another. The first loop of wire may encircle an entire room. Alternatively, you can wear a loop around your neck to encircle just your head (called a neckloop). This first loop passes the audio to a second loop called a telecoil.

The telecoil needs to be within the first loop of wire to pick up the audio.
In addition, a hearing care professional needs to enable it in the hearing aid/CI program ahead of time.
The telecoil needs to be in the correct orientation relative to the loop.

Do I need a telecoil if I have Bluetooth?

Telecoils work well for long distances and Bluetooth works well for short distances. As a result, until there is a more universal solution, you need both. Telecoils together with a neckloop also work as an interface with other audio systems like FM or IR receivers. Otherwise you would need to remove your hearing aids in many venues. In most of these situations, you will not hear as well if forced to remove your hearing aids.

In my opinion, everyone with hearing aids should have a telecoil. Even if you have Bluetooth and even if there are no looped public spaces in your area, you should still have a telecoil.

Where can I benefit from a telecoil?

A loop system installed in a public space provides convenience, discrete use and crystal clear sound. As a result, people with hearing loss experience a high level of accessibility in looped public spaces.
Small loop systems are available for home use with a television as well.
At live theater, the movies, church and other spaces without a loop system, you can still benefit from a telecoil. Neckloops make FM and Infrared listening systems more accessible to people with telecoil-enabled hearing aids/CIs.

Read on for more details about telecoils and loop listening systems. Find out if your hearing aid has an enabled telecoil. Above all, learn why people are so enthusiastic about this technology.

Public venue loops, info and advocacy

People with hearing loss and telecoil-enabled hearing aids/CIs love venues that have a loop system. The convenience, discrete use and crystal clear sound make loop systems the gold standard in large area assistive listening systems.

There is a campaign by the Hearing Loss Association of America to get more venues in the US looped. Learn more at HLAA’s Get In The Hearing Loop.

Loops are much more popular in Europe. Certain parts of the US have loops due to greater advocacy. New York City theaters and taxi cabs have loop systems. Some states require all new publicly funded buildings or those under renovation to include perimeter loops system (or similar). This system can cost well beyond $10,000 to install and be disruptive due to installation along the floor or ceiling so advocacy is needed.

rooms loops

This is a small loop system designed for a small room in a home or office. The loop would be much larger and encircle the room. These systems are fairly easy to install. You need to secure them in some way around the perimeter of the area where you will be sitting to listen to audio.

neck loops

A neckloop is a wire worn around your neck that converts various kinds of audio from one form of energy (radio waves, infrared light) to another form called induction. A neckloop and telecoil give you access to audio from assistive listening systems and other devices that is otherwise not compatible with your hearing aid/CI.

telecoils in venues without loops

Sometimes public venues transmit audio in one form (FM/IR), yet hearing aids receive wireless audio in another form (induction and/or Bluetooth), so there needs to be an interface that converts one form of audio to another. A neckloop plugged into a handheld FM/IR receiver converts the audio so it can be received by the telecoil. Without a telecoil, most people remove their hearing aids in venues using FM or IR systems and use standard earbuds or headphones, which doesn’t work well for many people with hearing loss. Proprietary Bluetooth streamers can also be plugged in as the interface between the FM/IR and the hearing aids/CI but only work with the compatible brand/model. Neckloops can also be plugged into headphone jacks to listen to audio from devices straight to both ears using telecoil-enabled hearing aids/CIs.

Be sure to get your telecoil turned on by your hearing care professional or use the telecoil found in Pocketalkers, ReSound Multi-mics, Oticon EduMic, OTOJoY earbuds and some streamers. Some people dismiss the telecoil as old technology, yet so is the wheel!

How to find out if your hearing aids have an active telecoil:

Try out the sound system and cycle through all the programs on your hearing aids. You may get lucky and find the program your audiologist made to use your telecoil.
Check your hearing aid owner's manual or receipt. If the model number ends in the letter "T" that indicates your hearing aids have a telecoil.
Call your audiologist to ask if you have a telecoil in your hearing aids AND if they "activated" it. They need to turn it on in their fitting software.
You should have a program set up on your hearing aids or a physical switch on your hearing aids so you can easily switch to the telecoil setting. With a program, you can decide if you prefer to have your hearing aid microphones kept on (so you can still hear those around you) or turned off so you only hear the sounds coming from the FM or loop system or have two programs, one for telecoil alone and one for telecoil and hearing aid microphones (T only, M+T).

advantages of a loop system

This photo shows the difference between an FM receiver and a telecoil receiver. An FM receiver is much bigger, requires maintenance and must be picked up and returned with each use. The telecoil is always at the ready with just the push of a button on a telecoil-enabled hearing aid/CI.

Imagine you’re in a wheelchair and arrive at a venue with a ramp. It’s easy to see how convenient and accessible that ramp is to you. It’s just sitting right there, available for your immediate use. Telecoils with a loop system provide that same desired level of accessibility. All you need to do is push a button on your hearing aid. The telecoil and loop are just sitting there, available for your immediate use.

Now imagine you need to board a train in a wheelchair via a special ramp. It is far less convenient, because you must go to a specific location and find a certain staff member, which is very similar to using an FM or IR listening system where you must seek out a receiver from a staff member.

Worst of all, imagine you are forced to abandon a wheelchair to go upstairs. This is similar to removing my hearing aid/CI if it does not have a telecoil and using generic earbuds or headphones to hear from an FM or IR receiver.