Hi Al--
I don't mean to be overly dramatic or provocative, but if your HA guy hasn't heard of t-coils, you might think about finding someone else. At the very least, insist on getting HAs with them. My audiologist (in Boston) says he hasn't seen (or maybe he meant dispensed) HAs without them for ages. Don't let your guy tell you that you don't need them.

Telecoils originally were intended to make listening to landline telephones easier. Some sort of electromagnetic coil thing.....I don't know. I tried it a few times when I first got HAs, but it was always easier for me to just find the sweet spot for holding the phone near my ear. Landlines aren't as significant anymore, but looping technology -- either neckloops or building inductive loop systems -- is growing. (Another growing use that I didn't mention in my earlier post -- beaming TV sound directly to your HAs while your beloved listens at a comfortable volume.) You can google telecoils for more info.

Hearing aids typically last 5-6 years. They are, as you know, a huge financial investment. Because t-coils are so common, it is possible that yours have a telecoil function that your audi simply hasn't 'switched on' in the programming. (I'm assuming, too, that you have digital HAs......tho' even my first analogue HAs had t-coils.) You might try googling your HA model to view the specs.

Good luck!