JPL Telecom, based in Sturminster Newton, has developed the niche sector for users in just six weeks. The company invested in new products in 2019 following the marketplace removal of an item which impacted on customers who have impaired hearing.

CEO, James Clarke, said, “We noticed an increase in customers asking for a hearing aid compatible headset and observed that these users wanted the same looking product to users who do not need a hearing aid.”

He explained that the options were limited and expensive for those who relied on assisted technology, adding, “I asked our technical manager, Jonathan Nuttall, to investigate and he discovered people were having to use alternatives such as gaming headsets. This was affecting people with a hearing disability in the workplace and highlighted that they were different, with a knock-on effect on employees’ mental health and wellbeing.

“We found that one of our headsets, the JPL-Connect, could be modified with a ‘Telecoil’ as a hearing aid compatible headset.”

JPL Telecom worked with speaker experts in collaboration with a specialist telecoil manufacturer and using the housing from its JPL-Connect headset, produced a JPL-HAC headset which was ready to trial in the UK market within just three weeks.

After meeting with a major UK hearing loss charity they tested and approved the headset in their London laboratories and the JPL-HAC-1 and JPL-HAC-2 headsets were then put into the marketplace.

“From start to finish we were able to close the gap in six weeks. Everyone involved with this new headset is delighted to have brought this ‘cost-effective and British design solution’ into market. Sector specialists, including Microlink, Connevans and Action on Hearing Loss, are selling the headsets,” said James.

The JPL-HAC can also be used as a regular headset if the user changes.