The Federal Communications Commission used its October open meeting to push two items with direct operational and compliance implications for the wireless and spectrum community. Most consequential for end users and device makers was the adoption of a requirement that all wireless handset models offered for sale or use in the United States meet hearing aid compatibility standards, effectively moving the market to 100 percent HAC-capable handset models over defined transition periods.

What the HAC decision covers in practice. The finalized approach expands beyond legacy acoustic and telecoil coupling tests to address contemporary wireless handset features including Bluetooth streaming and volume/coupling performance requirements. The FCC also updated labeling, website posting, and reporting requirements to support enforcement and transparency while allowing some implementation flexibility for manufacturers and retailers. For engineers this means HAC test plans, RF front end verification, and accessory interoperability testing should be folded into device validation workflows earlier and more systematically.

Why EW and spectrum teams should care. On the surface HAC is an accessibility rule, not a spectrum allocation action. Still, it alters receiver expectations across billions of handsets and therefore affects the interference tolerance baseline that public safety, commercial operators, and EW teams should assume when evaluating coexistence scenarios. For example, stricter coupling and Bluetooth streaming requirements could change near-field antenna layouts, RF filtering needs, and susceptibility profiles for cellular devices operating near strong emitters or jammers. If you test or evaluate mitigation techniques in the lab, add HAC-compliant handset models and Bluetooth hearing-aid streams to your test matrix.

Other FCC agenda items and rule activity. The October agenda included consideration of georouting rules for 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline calls to ensure callers are routed to the appropriate local crisis center by approximate device location. That item signals continued regulatory momentum around location-based routing and emergency services requirements for wireless providers.

Separately, the FCC published related regulatory action this month that affects broader network architectures. The Office of Management and Budget approved the information collection for the Commission’s Single Network Future: Supplemental Coverage From Space rules, and the Federal Register shows the associated final rule paperwork and effective date steps taken in October. This is part of a larger shift toward recognizing non-terrestrial supplemental solutions in the domestic regulatory toolbox, and it will matter when operators evaluate hybrid terrestrial/non-terrestrial coverage, interference contours, and spectrum sharing assumptions.

Ongoing spectrum coordination notes to track. Do not lose sight of regional coordination actions that remain unresolved. For example, NTIA correspondence to the FCC earlier in 2024 requested removal of a Cooperative Planning Area (CPA) for Norfolk from the 3.45 GHz coordination rules. That item illustrates how federal-federal and federal-civil planning interactions continue to shape practical deployment rules in mid-band spectrum used by commercial 5G and military systems alike. If you work around 3.45 or 3.5 GHz planning, keep that docket on your watch list.

Practical steps for EW teams, integrators, and serious hobbyists:

  • Update test suites: Include HAC-certified handset models, both acoustic/t-coil and Bluetooth streaming scenarios, in RF susceptibility and coexistence testing. Emulate common hearing-aid streaming profiles where possible.
  • Rebaseline interference assumptions: When modeling interference to commercial handsets or public safety devices, consider that handset RF front end requirements and coupling expectations are evolving due to the HAC rule. Revisit link budgets and desense margins accordingly.
  • Watch NTIA and FCC dockets for mid-band coordination changes: The 3.45 GHz band and other shared mid bands remain fluid. Coordinate tests with incumbents and file technical coordination requests early.
  • Factor non-terrestrial overlay into planning: If your operations or assessments involve supplemental satellite or high-altitude coverage, update interference and coexistence models to reflect the Single Network Future rule posture and associated information collection approvals.
  • Respect legal boundaries: Any RF testing involving jamming, suppression, or intentional interference is strictly regulated. Coordinate with spectrum authorities and operate inside experimental licenses or other authorized frameworks.

Bottom line. The FCC’s October actions and agenda items reinforce two trends relevant to electronic warfare and spectrum management: regulators are tightening device-level performance expectations while simultaneously expanding the policy framework for diverse coverage solutions. For EW practitioners that translates to a need for broader, more realistic test matrices that include accessibility-driven handset features and an ongoing focus on mid-band coordination issues. Stay current on the dockets and bring representative, HAC-capable handset hardware into lab and field trials as soon as possible.