Skype for the budget minded and hearing impaired
June 1, 2008
Post Tags: cheap-long-distance , headphones , Hearing-Impaired , skype
Last week I was part of a conference call. Many of you probably don’t know this but I’m hearing impaired. I got a bad cold when I was 27 and the virus destroyed some of the nerve endings in my left ear which left me with a major hearing loss and a very loud ringing sound that never goes away.
The right ear has been my mainstay, but it too was damaged from working in a stamping plant before there was OSHA and ear plugs. About four years ago I got hearing aids in both ears and found using the phone was very, very, difficult. Between feedback and trying to find just the spot where I could hear, moving the phone all around my ear to try and find “the spot”.
A friend of mine suggested I get a Skype account and use the headphones on my computer for the conference call. I did just that and can tell you it is like being liberated from years of telephone phobia.
During the conference call one of those on the call mentioned he uses Skype for all his long distance and local calls when ever possible. If you have never heard of it, then you are just like I was till this week.
I refer to myself lately as “The Dial-up Geek”. As opposed to “Broadband Geeks”. It takes me a long time to find things and then to figure them out once I do find them.
I was slow to find Skype, but now that I’ve discovered how to use it. It is amazing. A free account lets you talk computer to computer.
I got the computer to computer and computer to phone account for less than $24 a year. I can call anyone in the US, cell, computer, or landline.
For the Hearing Impaired
Now instead of trying to find that spot where I can hear the cell phone and not set off the hearing aids I sit down at my computer, put on the headset with mic and start dial the people I need to talk to. It is great, I actually enjoy using the phone again. I’m calling people I haven’t called in years because I can finally hear what they are saying.
For the Budget Minded
Less than twenty five dollars a year lets me call anyone in the United States, by cell phone, home phone, or computer to computer. No long distance charges one fee paid once a year. You can pay monthly if you choose. There are other plans for international calls which are the cheapest you will find.
Have you got a student in your family headed off to college. Get them a skype account. It will save you a bundle.
Go to Skype.com to set up an account. It is simple, affordable and a great service for the hearing impaired. I just ordered a wireless headset and mic. It will mean, no more rolling the chair over my headset wires, that will be nice.
Finally, I have no financial interest in Skype or any product I might recommend on this blog. When I find something that really works for me I want to share it.
January 23rd, 2010 at 6:53 pm
Dave,
As another hearing-impaired skype user, I’d be interested in knowing the headset model you’ve found to work with your hearing loss. Do you remove your hearing aids in order to use the headset, or wear the set over the hearing aids? And are there any frequency ‘boost’ features on the head set to enhance understanding?
January 23rd, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Walker,
I’m using this wireless headset: http://share.skype.com/sites/skypegear/2008/01/skypegear_roadtest_freetalk_st.html
It works great, the hearing aids are left in or you can remove and turn up the volume. No frequency boost, but volume control. They work great for me and have a range of about 30 feet.
Dave