Manx Telecom unveils MT clearSound that improves clarity of mobile phone calls

Manx Telecom is delighted to announce the launch today on the Isle of Man of MT clearSound, a new, personal mobile phone product which dramatically improves the clarity of mobile phone calls. The product is available at no additional cost to PayMonthly customers on the Manx Telecom network.

The technology behind the MT clearSound registered medical device is located within the network and requires no purchase or installation of specialist equipment by the user.

A user completes a short online registration and a hearing assessment using any mobile phone on the Manx network, enabling MT clearSound to create a tailored individual hearing profile.

This fine tunes all incoming and outgoing telephone calls to meet the user’s personal hearing needs. The profile can be changed at any time by the user if their requirements change, for example with the adoption of a new hearing aid or purchase of a new mobile phone.

MT clearSound will help people suffering from moderate to severe hearing loss to communicate and to maintain the art of conversation, enabling and empowering them to use their mobile phone with more confidence.

During the clinical trial, 80% of respondents said they felt stress-free while using the service. According to 89% of the trialists, the product should be available to everyone who has a hearing need.

MT clearSound is the first such product worldwide and has a huge potential addressable market, being suitable for both people with varying levels of hearing loss and those wanting to enhance the quality of their mobile phone conversations in general.

The introduction of the product on the Isle of Man, where it was researched, trialled and developed by Vannin Ventures, Manx Telecom’s business incubator, with Goshawk Communications, the lead investment in its portfolio, is just the latest example of the island serving as a test-bed for innovation; but the technology will also be made available off island as soon as 2019, when BT will leverage its EE mobile network to launch the technology, targeting the eleven million UK consumers who experience hearing loss.

MT clearSound was inspired by Goshawk founder Matthew Turner’s own experiences with hearing loss.

Deaf since the age of four, his determination to create a solution lead to the creation of MT clearSound, which is based on the algorithms of Professor Brian Moore of the University of Cambridge, one of the world’s leading authorities on auditory perception.

The product is backed by further medical and audiology professionals in the UK and on the Isle of Man, including Doctor Michael Stone, Senior Research Fellow in Audiology / Hearing Sciences at University of Manchester, who have worked closely with Goshawk and Manx Telecom on the ground-breaking mobile phone technology.

Gary Lamb, CEO of Manx Telecom, said:

MT clearSound will empower people suffering from a moderate to severe hearing loss, and every mobile user seeking greater call clarity, to use their mobile phones with greater confidence. The launch of MT clearSound in the UK next year in partnership with BT has the potential to change the lives of millions of people and is further evidence of Manx Telecom’s investment in innovation and technology.”

Matthew Turner, CEO and Founder of Goshawk Communications, said:

I created a ‘hearing aid in the sky’ because of my frustration with telecoms companies who did not understand people with hearing loss. Engaging with Manx Telecom was very different – it was easy to reach the decision-makers and the work environment was very open. We know MT clearSound can make a huge difference to people’s lives. Ideally this should set the Global Standard – that for me would be a wonderful achievement.”