Stay in touch - A guide to telephones and services for older and disabled people 2004 (view report contents)
Accessories & adaptors
There are many useful gadgets and accessories which can make using the phone easier. We’ve included a selection here
Many of these products aren’t available in shops and stores. You can buy them, or get more information about others which may help, from suppliers such as the RNIB or RNID, or other suppliers listed here. They can send you catalogues or, if you have computer access, you can browse online. Click on the list below to see more information about each type of product.
Extension ringer
Flashing light indicator
Extra sockets
BT Call Sign
Extension booster
Incoming speech amplifier
Headset
Inductive coupler
Accessories for mobiles
Talking dialler
Speaking device
Caller display
Keyboard for texting or email
Telephone holder
Community alarm
Extension ringer
The Clarity ESR200 extra loud ringer
If you have difficulty hearing the phone ring, you can buy an extra ringer (which plugs into any phone socket), or have an extra-loud bell permanently fitted. From £20 (or BT may supply one free to customers with impaired hearing).
Flashing light indicator
A flashing light indicator (available from the RNID
Catalogue)
Various types of special equipment will either flash a very bright light (like a camera flash) or flash the room lights or a table lamp on or off when the phone rings. From £20.
Extra sockets
See section on Useful features if you have limited movement
BT Call sign
The BT Call Sign service (£1.75 a quarter) gives your line an extra number with a different ring when someone calls you. You could use this to identify calls for an elderly person living with you, or a call for a textphone. BT TwinTalk adaptors (£30) let you direct calls to specific phone sockets in your home depending on the number called.
Extension booster
If too many phones or other equipment are connected to a single line in your home, the phones may not ring properly. Up to four items should normally be OK - if you need more, you can buy a mains-operated booster allowing extra equipment to be connected. Around £40.
Incoming speech amplifier
A speech amplifier (available from RNID Solutions catalogue)
In-line amplifier for corded phones boosts your callers' voice
If incoming speech isn’t loud enough you can buy an add-on amplifier. The portable strap-on type fits over the earpiece and is removed after each call; the ‘in-line’ type connects more permanently between the handset and the phone - for this your handset needs to be the plug-in type. From £15.
Headset
Sony Erricsson wireless hands free mobile headset
Some phones (for example BT Converse 225, 325 and BT Diverse X5 cordless) have a socket for plugging in a headset and microphone. This lets you listen with both ears and leaves your hands free. A friend can also listen in on the existing handset and relay the conversation to you - especially helpful if you lip-read.
Inductive coupler
Some phones have an inductive coupler built into the earpiece for use with the ‘T’ setting of a hearing aid. If yours doesn’t, you can buy a coupler separately to fit over the earpiece. They cost from around £15.
accessories for mobiles
Nokia mobile neckloop for hearing aids
It’s now illegal as well as dangerous to hold and use a mobile while you’re driving. But you can make calls while driving if you have a ‘hands free kit’ installed in your car, or buy a hands free accessory to clip over your ear. The cheapest type (£8) plugs into your phone, while others use a more convenient wireless link (usually the ‘Bluetooth’ or an infra-red system).
A hands-free kit can also be useful at home if you find it difficult to hold a mobile to your ear, but check whether you must press a button on the earpiece to answer a call – this may be difficult for some people.
Most mobiles cause interference on a hearing aid if held close to the
ear. But an induction loop accessory let you use your aid’s T setting
while keeping the phone away from your aid. A neckloop is one option (around
£60), while others are similar to a hands free kit.
Talking dialler
This is a portable keypad which helps someone with poor sight to be confident they have entered the right phone number before the call is made. It speaks the number of each key as you press it. After entering the whole number, you hold the dialler next to the mouthpiece and press the send button. The dialler then transmits the tones needed to dial. Around £50.
speaking device
This is a device (such as the Toby Churchill Lightwriter, from around £600) which allows someone who cannot speak at all to use a voice phone. Words are selected on a keyboard or screen and then spoken by the unit. A hands free speaker phone (see section on Useful features if you have poor mobility) will be most convenient with this.
Caller Display
The BT caller display unit
If your phone does not have a built-in display, you can buy a separate unit which shows the number of the person calling you. Some have large easy to read numbers. The RNIB can supply a talking caller display unit (around £24).
Keyboard for texting or Email
Some mobiles and PDAs have a QWERTY keyboard which makes typing easier
than
using the number keys. For some models you can buy an add-on keyboard.
Telephone holder
This supports the handset for people who have difficulty picking it up or holding it (from £10).
Community alarm
This wrist worn button is used to call for help in an emergency on a community
alarm system.
This is a telephone-based unit which has a separate button (for example, on a pendant you can wear round your neck) which you can use to call for help. Response services are run mostly by local authorities and housing associations or the alarm can call friends or family directly. Ricability has a detailed guide to community alarms (see Calling for help - a guide to community alarms).
Report Contents
Telephones
- types (fixed & mobiles)
- useful features if your hearing is poor
- useful features - if your sight is poor
- useful features if you have limited mobility
- useful features for other difficulties
Other equipment
- answering machines, fax machines & computer equipment
- textphones, videophones & computer email
- accessories & adaptors
Buying a phone & phone services
- where to go
- companies & deals
- services for older or disabled people
- scam calls & cold calling - what to do
Useful contacts
Fixed line Operators
- BT
- Homecall
- Kingston communications
- NTL
- One.Tel
- Sainsbury's Homephone
- Skytalk
- TalkTalk
- Tele2
- Tesco home phone
- Telewest broadband
- Tiscali.smart talk
- Toucan
Mobile Operators
