Phone Calls Are Still Not Accessible to Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People

Six in 10 Americans believe phone calls are still not fully accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, according to a new national survey from Rogervoice, a provider of real-time captioned phone calls.

While phone calls remain a core part of daily communication, many Americans are increasingly struggling with clarity and confidence during live conversations, the study found.

Nearly three-quarters of Americans said they have avoided making or answering phone calls at least once. Among those who have, the most common reasons included difficulty following conversations due to accent, pace, or clarity, fear of misunderstandings, background noise, and poor audio quality.

The findings pointed to ongoing communication challenges during live phone conversations. Nearly one in five Americans said they regularly struggle to understand phone conversations, while 20 percent said someone close to them, such as a parent or family member, experiences the same issue.

At the same time, nearly six in 10 Americans believe workplaces do not provide adequate communication tools for employees with hearing or communication challenges.

"Phone calls still matter," said Olivier Jeannel, founder and CEO of Rogervoice, in a statement. "For decades, accessibility in telecommunications has been treated as a specialized issue affecting only a small group of people, but our research shows that communication clarity and confidence are actually broader concerns for many Americans. Accessibility affects everyday communication, and is why Rogervoice is committed to making it easier."