November 16, 2020
Reference: Wireless Hearing Aid Data Security Statement
Dear Sir/Madam:
Starkey Hearing Technologies wireless hearing aids use one of three different frequency bands
and transmission protocols depending on the product. All technologies provide security;
however, each uses a different method for this purpose.
900sync Wireless Hearing Aids
Starkey Hearing Technologies wireless hearing aids that operate either in the 902 to 928 MHz
band or 863 to 865 MHz band use our 900sync technology. This technology utilizes a
proprietary transmission method not based on any published standard. The processing within
Starkey Hearing Technologies 900sync wireless hearing aids also uses proprietary digital
modulation that incorporates a data whitener based on a complex polynomial to scramble the
data. These two design approaches prevent other commercially available devices from readily
discovering, intercepting, interpreting, or injecting transmitted data, and effectively ensure
security of transmitted data. In addition, the low output power and antenna size limit the range
at which Starkey Hearing Technologies 900sync wireless hearing aid transmissions can be readily
received to approximately 15 meters. This provides a pragmatic limit to the ability to intercept
data transmitted wirelessly.
The reverse is also true. The Starkey Hearing Technologies 900sync wireless hearing aid family is
unable to transmit or receive data in any transmission protocol other than its own proprietary
transmission protocol. That, combined with the very limited range to which it can transmit,
effectively ensures that the Starkey Hearing Technologies 900sync wireless hearing aid family
cannot discover, intercept, interpret, or inject transmitted data associated with other devices.
900sync hearing aids can receive audio information from the SurfLink Media, SurfLink Mobile,
SurfLink Remote Microphone, and SurfLink Mini Mobile accessories using a Starkey proprietary
encoding method. The ability to receive audio from SurfLink accessories can be disabled on the
hearing aids. The range of these accessories is about 15 meters.
900 sync hearing aids can also receive audio information from the other hearing aid of a
binaural pair during a telephone call. This audio streaming only occurs when enabled by a
hearing aid button press to select a memory where this streaming is enabled or by a DC
magnetic field near the hearing aid, such as that from a telephone handset, which enables
streaming between the two hearing aids of the pair when the magnetic field is present.
900sync hearing aids can receive data commands from the SurfLink Remote and SurfLink Mobile
using a Starkey proprietary encoding method. These commands are used to control the basic
functionality of the hearing aids (change volume and memory settings). A SurfLink Remote or
SurfLink Mobile must be paired to a specific set of hearing aids. The hearing aids can transmit
data commands to each other, similar to the SurfLink Remote. These commands are used to
change volume and memory settings.
Summary of Contents for Starkey 900sync
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