News releases

Did you know? More than 60 million people worldwide live with severe hearing loss — yet fewer than 5% of those who could benefit ever receive a cochlear implant. That’s why milestones like this matter: the iotaSOFT® Insertion System has now been part of over 1,000 cochlear implant surgeries. Surgeons are seeing the difference: “As our cochlear implant program nears its 100th iotaSOFT insertion,…

On September 9, 2024, Apple Inc announced hearing health features coming to AirPods Pro 2, which provide the world’s first all-in-one hearing health experience including a clinical-grade, over-the-counter Hearing Aid feature. Included in these new features is Hearing Protection to help users prevent exposure to loud environmental noise while preserving the sound signature of what they’re listening…

On September 10, 2024, the FCC announced that survivors of domestic abuse can get discounted phone, internet, or bundled services through the FCC’s Lifeline program. Survivors can now make a request with their service provider to separate their mobile phone lines from family plans where the abuser is on the account. Impacted survivors experiencing financial hardship can also receive up to six…

On September 10, 2024, the FCC announced that survivors of domestic abuse can get discounted phone, internet, or bundled services through the FCC’s Lifeline program. Survivors can now make a request with their service provider to separate their mobile phone lines from family plans where the abuser is on the account. Impacted survivors experiencing financial hardship can also receive up to six…

EEOC v. Smith’s Detection Inc., Case No. 1:24-cv-2510 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division. The agency filed against Smith’s Detection, Inc., a leading manufacturer of threat detection equipment, for demoting a disabled employee to avoid providing her with personal protective equipment (PPE). The employee, who suffered from complete hearing loss in her left…

On July 19, 2024, the FCC released a Report and Order taking steps to advance the nationwide transition to Next Generation 911 (NG911). Unlike the current 911 system, NG911 uses Internet Protocol (IP)-based format and routing, and will support the transmission of text, photos, videos, and data. In the Report and Order, the FCC adopted the first nationwide NG911 transition rules that define the…

Apple has introduced transcripts for Apple Podcasts. Transcripts will be available for new episodes shortly after episodes are published. These transcripts are automatically generated by Apple, and you will see the words "Automatically generated" in the app display. When the content creator provides a transcript instead of using Apple's automatically generated transcript, the app will display the…

The Federal Communications Commission proposed rules to advance the transition to Next Generation 911, help ensure that the nation’s 911 system functions effectively, and support the deployment of advanced 911 capabilities—including video, text, and data—that will help first responders save lives.

The Federal Communications Commission voted to require video conferencing platforms, like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Webex, to comply with the accessibility requirements under the Communications Act and agency rules that govern interoperable video conferencing services.

FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel announced she shared a proposal with her fellow Commissioners that would for the first time require video conferencing platforms to comply with accessibility requirements under the Communications Act.