If you have a hearing loss and are finding it hard to understand people on the phone, MN ACT can help!

MN ACT provides smartphones, tablets and landline phone solutions and accessories that can make it easier to understand people on the phone.

Here are some examples of smartphones and tablets MN ACT can provide and how they work.

Smartphones and tablets have pre-installed apps for phone and other telecommunications. These apps include:

• captioning apps for captions of what the caller says,
• video phone apps for sign language or lip-reading your caller,
• video relay service for sign language users,
• internet-based relay for typed conversations,
• texting and
• email.

Both Apple and Android devices are available.

Most of our smartphones and tablets are unlocked so you can use them on any network.

Smartphone accessories can make it easier to understand phone conversations by sending sound directly to your hearing aid or cochlear implant, making calls louder, clearer and eliminating background noise. These accessories are:

• Neckloops and streamers,
• Bluetooth cell phone amplifiers
• And wireless earbuds.
• Another accessory is a light flashing signaler that lets you know when you have a call.

If you have hearing and vision loss or hearing loss with memory concerns, we have simple cell phones that may be easier for you to use. These include:

• One-touch dialing picture cell phone
• Large tactile buttons and keyboard
• Voice control using commands
• Text messages that are read aloud.

Most phones are unlocked and work on any network.

If you don't have internet, your internet isn’t reliable or you don’t want a smartphone, we have amplified and captioned phones that use a traditional landline.

• Amplified phones have:
• Volume control to make the caller’s voice louder.
• Tone and pitch control to make the caller’s voice clearer.
• Large buttons,
• Speakerphone,
• Visual and loud ringers,
• Answering machines with slow playback,
• Large visual screen,
• Pre-programable numbers,
• Talking keypad and
• Caller ID and voice assist for caller ID.

These amplified phones are traditional landline phones. They can be corded or cordless. You don’t need internet for these phones to work.

Captioned phones have:

• Speaker phone
• Volume control
• Large visual screen
• Adjustable size captions
• Answering machines and
• Color contrast. 

You can get a captioned phone that works with a landline only or you can get one that works with internet.

We can also provide accessories for amplified and captioned phones to alert you when the phone rings. These include:

• loud ringers,
• light flashers and
• bed shakers that can wake you if the phone rings while you are asleep.

Why get devices from MN ACT?

There are several benefits to getting devices from MN ACT:

1. Devices are free if you qualify.
2. You don’t have to figure out what you need! Your MN ACT specialist will discuss your needs, how you communicate and suggest what may work best for you.
3. If your needs change, we can provide a different device.
4. If your device stops working, we’ll take care of repair or replacement.

Would you like to learn more about our services?

Please contact us or visit our website to download an application:

• English MN ACT brochure and application 
• Large print English MN ACT brochure and application
• Hmong MN ACT brochure and application
• Russian MN ACT brochure and application
• Spanish MN ACT brochure and application
• Somali MN ACT brochure and application
• Vietnamese MN ACT brochure and application

MN ACT also serves people who have physical or speech disabilities that make it hard to use the phone.