Assistive Listening Knowledge Base

QuestionPartly answered

What does Wi-Fi streaming need from the venue's network and from listeners' phones?

  • Affects venues, installers, listeners, specifiers, hearing professionals
  • 31 sources
  • Updated
  • First published

Technologies: Wi-Fi streaming, Shared

In brief

Two makers' network guides ask for priority for the audio, guest-network isolation opened, firewall ports opened and enterprise-grade equipment. Makers give 45 to 1,500 listeners per server, or up to 16,000 with servers stacked, and none gives a figure per access point. Listeners need a supported phone, the app, headphones or a link to their hearing aids, and a charged battery; makers and an industry association still expect venues to lend devices. No independent measurement of capacity or reliability in a full venue was found.

Why it matters

Wi-Fi assistive listening runs on equipment the venue does not fully control. IAHA, an industry association, describes the path: sound goes from the venue's sound system to an audio server on its Wi-Fi network, then to an app on listeners' phones or tablets, and from there to hearing aids or implants by Bluetooth, through a neckloop and telecoil, or to headphones. Among the limitations it lists are performance that depends on the quality and stability of the Wi-Fi network, and the need for a smartphone, the app and the confidence to install it1. Listen Technologies, a maker, warns that a network that copes with email and video can become unacceptable for live audio2, and Williams AV, another maker, says that because live systems buffer only two or three packets, a lost packet is heard as a drop-out3.

Delay is covered by the question How much delay does Wi-Fi streaming add, and when does it matter?. It appears here only where makers' and venues' advice on connecting hearing devices turns on it4,5,6.

What the evidence shows

Most of the evidence on networks comes from makers' own guides and from venues' instructions to their audiences. The Center for Hearing Access and IAHA both say no peer-reviewed research shows how well audio over Wi-Fi works for people with hearing loss7,1.

The network

  • Dedicated or shared. Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, a UK charity, says systems run over the venue's public Wi-Fi or a dedicated network8. In the makers' guides to their own systems, Williams AV recommends a separate LAN, subnet or VLAN for the audio, and says an independent or segregated network may be an option if the enterprise network cannot be set up as required3; Listen Technologies says that where a VLAN is used, its server and the phones generally need to be on the same one2; and Sennheiser describes its system as working through the venue's existing Wi-Fi network9. Venues do both: Chautauqua Institution uses its amphitheatre's guest Wi-Fi and networks named for its other halls6, while ATG's UK theatres and Dublin's Abbey Theatre run a network for the system alone10,11.
  • Settings the makers ask for. Williams and Listen both ask for quality of service that gives the audio priority, Williams at voice level as for VoIP3,2. Williams also asks for IGMP snooping when multicast is used, the lowest possible DTIM setting (higher settings make the audio arrive in bursts), fixed channels, 5 GHz access points and a signal no weaker than -80 dBm3. Listen advises against range extenders and mesh networks2; its 2017 note advised a clear channel and an access point in the same room as listeners, in line of sight and at least 10 ft from other access points12.
  • Multicast or unicast. Williams, a maker describing its own system, explains that unicast sends a separate copy of the stream to each listener and is easier to set up, while multicast sends one copy per channel but needs equipment that supports it; consumer routers, it says, do not work well for multicast, and its multichannel units work only in multicast3. The IETF's informational document on multicast over Wi-Fi explains that multicast frames are not acknowledged, that loss of 5% or more is not uncommon, that multicast generally goes at the slowest rate of any connected device, taking more airtime, and that when a connected device saves power the access point holds multicast until the next DTIM beacon. It adds that sending the stream as unicast over the Wi-Fi link avoids most of these problems, at the cost of sometimes sending the same packet several times, and that there is not yet a standardised method for the conversion13.
  • How many listeners. Every capacity figure found is a maker's own and is given per server or system: up to 45 listeners in unicast and 1,500 in multicast for WaveCAST3, 100 per MobileConnect station9, and 500 per ListenWIFI server, stackable to 16,0005. None gives a number per access point. Williams notes that access points differ in how many clients they allow and that the network must carry every listener with adequate bandwidth3. The makers' bandwidth figures differ fourfold: about 30 kbps per listener for WaveCAST, and about 125 kbps for Listen Everywhere, whose guide recommends that its traffic make up no more than 20% of the network's capacity3,2.

What fails

  • Guest networks and firewalls. Guest networks usually isolate clients from each other and from the wired network, which stops phones reaching the audio server; Listen adds that they disable the multicast DNS its app uses to find the server. Both makers say the isolation must be opened or the server allowed through, and both list the ports firewalls must pass2,3. Listen's manual recommends involving the venue's IT staff because network and firewall settings may block the traffic5.
  • No internet, and terms pages. Williams warns that some phones drop a Wi-Fi network that has no internet access and switch to mobile data, losing the audio; it suggests airplane mode or turning off mobile data, and says networks ideally should have internet access3. Listen says its audio streaming needs no internet2, although its app's version history records a 2024 fix for connecting to servers without internet "under specific network conditions"14. ATG tells theatregoers to switch mobile data off and use airplane mode10, and its joining guide says the phone opens a web page asking the listener to accept terms and conditions (a captive portal) before it finishes connecting15. None of the makers' network guides reviewed here mentions captive portals3,2,5.
  • Phones' private addresses. Among the settings to try when phones drop a network that has no internet access, Williams lists turning off private addressing and random MAC addresses3. Apple says a private address does not affect most networks, advises keeping it on and updating software first, and says organisations may need to update their network security to work with private addresses; from iOS 18, on networks with weak or no security, iPhones change the address every two weeks16.
  • Moving between access points. Apple's deployment guide says iPhones look for another access point only once the signal falls to about -70 dBm, and move only to one at least 8 dB stronger while transmitting data, or 12 dB when idle17. Where the network uses 802.1X authentication, it says, a roam can take several seconds without data; 802.11k, r and v help devices find a candidate and roam quickly, and Apple advises measuring cell overlap with the devices that will use the network17. Listen warns that mesh and multi-hop networks can cause stuttering or dropouts2, and Williams that access points changing channel cause brief interruptions3. The Abbey Theatre tells listeners to turn off automatic switching to the best Wi-Fi network, because the phone could change network during the show and the app would stop working11.
  • Drop-outs in use. Chautauqua tells patrons that Wi-Fi routers can sometimes lag, losing the signal for a moment or two, and that buffering can build up during a lecture until the listener pauses and restarts the stream, which may be needed more than once on older phones; it offers live captions as a backup6. The Abbey Theatre advises against keeping the phone in a pocket or bag11. The IETF document notes that multicast over Wi-Fi is sensitive to background traffic13.

Listeners' phones and apps

  • Which phones and versions. The App Store listings require iOS 15.6 or later for Sennheiser's app4, iOS 15.0 for Williams' app18 and iOS 11.0 for ListenWIFI14; Williams' 2024 network guide still lists iOS 9.1 and Android 6.03. The apps' version histories record connection problems being fixed: ListenWIFI fixed iPhone 14 models that could not stream in May 202314, and a May 2024 WaveCAST update fixed an issue where some users could not connect to the network18. Listen says keeping servers updated is essential for compatibility with current phones5, and the Abbey Theatre points owners of older phones to a different version of Sennheiser's app11.
  • Who has a phone. From a 2025 survey of 5,022 US adults, independent Pew Research Center, primarily funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, estimates that 91% of US adults and 78% of those aged 65 and over owned a smartphone; the survey gives no figures by hearing loss19. IAHA notes that a significant share of the people concerned have none, and the question How many listeners carry a telecoil, an Auracast-capable device or a smartphone? gives the detail1,19.
  • Battery. ATG asks theatregoers to arrive with a fully charged phone, warns that the battery "could be fully depleted by the end of the show" and suggests a battery bank10; Chautauqua says a fully charged device helps6. ListenWIFI's listing says the app may use location when it is not open, which can decrease battery life14. Neither venue gives a figure for battery use10,6.
  • Joining. Listeners join a named network and then choose a channel in the app; makers add QR codes for the network and for each channel, and Listen adds Bluetooth beacons that switch the channel by room5,4. Venues' instructions name the network to join (one for each hall at Chautauqua) and offer staff help, and Chautauqua suggests allowing the app location access so that it finds the right server6,11. Hearing Dogs for Deaf People says clear signs and helpful staff should be available, and that relying on listeners' own phones may not suit people without a smartphone or confidence with apps8. The Center for Hearing Access notes that each maker has its own app7 and advises that any system needing a QR code, an app or extra devices will leave some people out20.
  • What the apps collect. The store privacy labels, written by the developers and not verified by Apple, differ. Williams declares that its app collects no data18. Sennheiser lists coarse location, device identifiers, product interaction and diagnostics, not linked to the user's identity4. Listen's App Store label says usage data may be used to track users across other companies' apps and websites, and lists location and usage data not linked to identity, while its Google Play listing declares that no data is collected and its privacy policy says location is used only to trigger audio from venue beacons and is not stored or shared14. Listen Everywhere servers can show banner ads, offers and welcome ads in the app2; the newer ListenWIFI manual says its app has no advertisements5.

Hearing aid and implant users

  • Bluetooth from the phone. IAHA and RNID describe streaming from the phone to hearing aids or implants over Bluetooth as one route1,21. In MarkeTrak 2022, a survey commissioned by the US hearing aid industry's association, 44% of 815 owners who got hearing aids in the past five years said their aids could stream directly from a smartphone22. Sennheiser's data sheet says its system supports hearing aids and cochlear implants9, yet its app listing recommends wired headphones or induction ear hooks, and Listen's wired headphones or neck loops, to avoid Bluetooth delay, and Listen's manual does not recommend Bluetooth devices4,14,5. Williams' app notes claim lower latency with Bluetooth devices from November 2024, without figures18. Chautauqua suggests muting the hearing aids' microphones in their own app to remove the echo of the loudspeakers6; the Center for Hearing Access notes that hearing devices cannot use a "Mic + Wi-Fi" setting7.
  • Telecoil users. A telecoil user can plug a neckloop into the phone or into a Wi-Fi receiver1,5. IAHA says neckloops must give a signal meeting IEC 60118-4 when measured as IEC 62489-1 specifies1, and in a dummy-head test of six neckloops by Pro Audito Schweiz, a Swiss hearing-loss association, many lost the high frequencies that matter most for speech23. The Abbey Theatre's guide tells people whose hearing aids lack Bluetooth to remove them, and does not mention neckloops11.
  • People without a phone. Sennheiser recommends venue phones with the app installed and the Wi-Fi set up, used with neckloops or wired headphones24, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People notes that some venues offer such phones8, and IAHA advises venues to provide alternative receivers for those without a smartphone1. Listen sells dedicated Wi-Fi receivers that take wired headphones or a neckloop5, and Williams presents dedicated receivers for listeners who prefer not to install its app on their own devices25. Chautauqua keeps its RF system and free loan receivers alongside Wi-Fi and lends no headphones for phones6; the Abbey Theatre lends a limited number of headphones against a deposit11.
  • The US rules. The 2010 ADA Standards require receivers in the numbers Table 219.3 sets, with at least 25%, and no fewer than two, hearing-aid compatible through neckloops; they describe loop, FM, infrared and wired systems and allow equivalent alternatives that the venue must be able to demonstrate26. A white paper from Listen, which sells Wi-Fi systems, counts Wi-Fi as a fourth type of wireless assistive listening and points to that route27.
  • Makers' claims and the objections. Sennheiser states that "Sennheiser MobileConnect is compliant to the 'Assistive Listening Systems' requirements", and Williams calls the WaveCAST Series "the first-ever ADA compliant Wi-Fi assisted listening system"; neither cites a ruling or guidance from a US agency24,25. The Center for Hearing Access states that "There is no known product that meets the ADA"7, and IAHA that a venue "cannot guarantee compliance with ADA Table 219.3" if listeners are expected to bring their own devices1.
  • Receivers still expected. Listen's manual says its dedicated receivers are "often required" for venues that must meet laws mandating receivers5, and Sennheiser says venues must still provide the Table 219.3 receivers24. Outside the US, the contents of Australia's AS 1428.5 include a heading "Why mobile phones are not suitable as receivers"28, and EFHOH reports that the European standard EN 17210 includes Wi-Fi in its definition of assistive listening systems29. The questions Which systems satisfy the ADA and building codes, and does a listener's own phone count? and How many receivers and neckloops does each code require, and how should a loan pool be run? set out these rules in full26,1.

Where sources disagree

A system maker and a phone maker give opposite advice on how phones should join. Williams suggests turning off private addresses and random MAC addresses3, while Apple advises keeping private addresses on and says organisations may need to adapt their networks to them16. Williams and Listen's 2017 note treat passwords as a cost, saying encryption reduces successful connections or adds delay, and Listen's note advised leaving the access point without a password3,12; two of the venues reviewed put a password or a terms page in front of their networks11,15. On internet access, Williams says networks ideally should have it3, while Listen says streaming works without it2.

On hearing aids, Sennheiser's data sheet says its system supports hearing aids and cochlear implants and IAHA lists Bluetooth among the routes9,1, while two makers' app listings and Listen's manual steer listeners to wired headphones or inductive neck loops and ear hooks because of Bluetooth delay4,14,5. One venue's guide tells users of hearing aids without Bluetooth to remove their aids, and mentions no neckloop11.

One developer's own privacy declarations disagree with each other: its App Store label lists usage data that may be used for tracking, and its Google Play listing declares no data collected14. Capacity figures differ by maker and by unit (per server, per station, per mode), and none is given per access point or with test conditions3,9,5.

On whether it works, Chautauqua introduced its system in 2024 after extensive testing, extended it to more halls in 2025 and 2026, and says user feedback indicates it works best for patrons with moderate to severe hearing loss6, ATG offers it in all its UK theatres10, and the Center for Hearing Access says audio over Wi-Fi works well where the live sound is off, such as TVs in sports bars and gyms7. Against this, the Center for Hearing Access and RNID raise concerns about delay7,21, and in a self-selected survey of 1,519 people run by hearing-loss advocates, with funding unstated, 132 of the 251 respondents who rated Wi-Fi delay found it distracting or objectionable. Only 217 reported having used Wi-Fi audio in a separate question, leaving the experience of the delay-rating group uncertain30,31. On the law, the makers' claims and the statements of the Center for Hearing Access and IAHA set out above stand against each other, and no cited source reports a ruling by a US agency on them24,25,7,1.

What would settle it

Independent measurements in occupied venues of how many listeners one access point and one server can serve, in unicast and in multicast, with drop-out rates and with the venue's other traffic running; the figures found are makers' own, given per server or system without test conditions3,5,9. Tests of joining and staying connected with current phones through guest networks, terms pages, private addresses and roaming between access points, where the evidence is now makers' advice, venues' instructions and a phone maker's general guidance2,15,17. Measurements of phone battery use over a performance, on which venues give advice but no figures10,6. Checks of what the apps actually send, against store declarations that the developers write themselves, that Apple does not verify and that disagree between stores14. Peer-reviewed studies with hearing aid, implant and telecoil users comparing Bluetooth, neckloops and headphones on the same system; IAHA and the Center for Hearing Access say no peer-reviewed research shows how well Wi-Fi systems work for people with hearing loss1,7. Guidance or code text on whether venue phones or Wi-Fi receivers count as the receivers the rules require26,28.

Planning while it is open

  • Involve the venue's IT staff before installing, and give them the maker's network requirements: quality of service, discovery, ports and the streaming mode5,2,3.
  • If listeners use a guest network, open its client isolation for the audio server or allow the server through, so phones can reach it2,3.
  • Choose unicast or multicast for the expected number of listeners; for multicast, use enterprise access points with IGMP snooping and the lowest DTIM setting3,13.
  • Use fixed channels and enough coverage, avoid range extenders and mesh networks, and check coverage and cell overlap with the phones that will be used3,2,17.
  • Plan for phones that leave a network without internet access: provide internet on the network, or tell listeners to use airplane mode or switch off mobile data; if joining shows a terms page, include that step in the instructions3,10,15.
  • Tell visitors before they arrive to bring a charged phone with the app installed and their own headphones, and suggest a battery bank1,10,6.
  • Post the network name and channel QR codes, and have staff ready to help listeners connect8,5,6.
  • Offer a wired or neckloop path for hearing aid users, as two makers advise against Bluetooth because of delay, and test the neckloops4,5,23.
  • Keep loan devices, either venue phones with the app installed or Wi-Fi receivers, with neckloops, for listeners without a suitable phone and to meet receiver rules24,1,5,26.
  • Keep server firmware and the app current, since makers tie compatibility with new phones to updates5,14,18.
  • Check what the app declares it collects in each store before pointing listeners to it, because one developer's declarations differ between stores14,4,18.
  • Consider keeping a loan-receiver system alongside Wi-Fi for people who cannot use their own phone, as Chautauqua does with RF6.

Sources

  1. Audio Over Wi-Fi Assistive Listening Systems. International Association for Hearing Accessibility (IAHA), undated (read 9 October 2026). Trade body (IAHA; its members include manufacturers of assistive listening technologies and other organisations that create or install assistive listening systems, as well as groups supporting people with hearing loss; its funding is not stated) ↩︎ https://iaha-global.com/assistive-listening-technologies/audio-over-wifi/
  2. Listen Everywhere Network Configuration Guide (ListenTech-Note LTN0025). Listen Technologies, 15 August 2024. Manufacturer (Listen Technologies, maker of the Listen Everywhere Wi-Fi system described and of its successor, ListenWIFI) ↩︎ https://listentech.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/LTN0025-Listen-Everywhere-Network-Configuration-2024-08-15-V4.pdf
  3. WaveCAST Network Guide for Consultants and IT Professionals (TCH 040I). Williams AV, 2024. Manufacturer (Williams AV, maker of the WaveCAST Wi-Fi system, which also sells FM, infrared and Auracast assistive listening systems) ↩︎ https://williamsav.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/TCH-040I-Wavecast-Network-Guide-1.pdf
  4. Sennheiser MobileConnect (App Store listing, version 6.3.1). Sennheiser. Apple App Store (seller: Sennheiser electronic SE & Co. KG), 4 May 2026. Manufacturer (Sennheiser, maker of the MobileConnect Wi-Fi system; the listing and its privacy label are written by the developer) ↩︎ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sennheiser-mobileconnect/id848127271
  5. ListenWIFI User Manual. Listen Technologies. Listen Technologies (online documentation), 10 June 2026. Manufacturer (Listen Technologies, maker of the ListenWIFI system described, which also sells RF, infrared, hearing loop and Auracast products) ↩︎ https://www.listentech.com/docs/listenwifi-user-manual/
  6. Wi-Fi Based Assistive Listening System. Chautauqua Institution, undated (read 13 October 2026). Independent (Chautauqua Institution, a not-for-profit organisation in Chautauqua, New York, writing about the system in its own halls; the system is Listen Technologies' ListenWIFI) ↩︎ https://www.chq.org/visit/explore-the-grounds-and-gardens/accessibility/wi-fi-based-assistive-listening-system/
  7. Audio Over Wi-Fi Assistive Listening System. Center for Hearing Access. Center for Hearing Access, The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts, undated (read 9 October 2026). Nonprofit advocacy (Center for Hearing Access, an initiative of The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts; it asks for donations and states that it accepts none from hearing-related vendors) ↩︎ https://centerforhearingaccess.org/wi-fi/
  8. Other assistive listening systems. Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, undated (read 9 October 2026). Nonprofit advocacy (Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, a UK charity whose support pages include Hearing Link Services; the page thanks the loop and Auracast maker Ampetronic for help creating it, and Ampetronic's owner, Allvida, also owns the Wi-Fi system maker Listen Technologies) ↩︎ https://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/support/living/assistive-technology/systems
  9. System Specification (V1.2): MobileConnect Assistive Listening. Sennheiser. Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG, 2023. Manufacturer (Sennheiser, maker of the MobileConnect Wi-Fi system) ↩︎ https://assets.sennheiser.com/download/assets/MobileConnect_System_Specification_v1.2_EN.pdf/ea3cf3b2e7b711f097eaea55b5d2fb86
  10. Hearing Assistance: Mobile Connect System. ATG (ATG Tickets help centre). ATG Tickets - United Kingdom, 6 August 2026. Independent (ATG, a theatre group, writing about the system in its own UK theatres; the system is Sennheiser's MobileConnect) ↩︎ https://help.atgtickets.com/hc/en-gb/articles/4594278746002-Hearing-Assistance-Mobile-Connect-System
  11. Assistive Listening System: Instructions for Audience Members. Abbey Theatre. Abbey Theatre, Dublin, April 2025. Independent (the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, writing for its own audiences about the system it installed, Sennheiser MobileConnect) ↩︎ https://www.abbeytheatre.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Assistive-Listening-Manual-2025-2.pdf
  12. Understanding & Minimizing Wi-Fi Latency (Listen Tech-Note LTN0012). Listen Technologies, 27 April 2017. Manufacturer (Listen Technologies, maker of the ListenWiFi system described) ↩︎ https://www.listentech.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/LTN0012_Wifi-Latency-Tech-Note_042717.pdf
  13. Multicast Considerations over IEEE 802 Wireless Media (RFC 9119). Perkins C, McBride M, Stanley D, Kumari W, Zúñiga JC. Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), RFC Editor, October 2021. Standards body (IETF; an Informational RFC that represents IETF consensus but is not a standard; the authors were with Lupin Lodge, Futurewei, HPE, Google and SIGFOX) ↩︎ https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc9119.html
  14. ListenWIFI (App Store listing, version 5.4.1). Listen Technologies. Apple App Store (seller: Listen Technologies Corporation), 21 July 2025. Manufacturer (Listen Technologies, maker of the ListenWIFI and Listen Everywhere Wi-Fi systems; the listing and its privacy label are written by the developer) ↩︎ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/listenwifi/id1391914337
  15. How to join venue Wi-Fi for Mobile Connect on an Apple device. ATG (ATG Tickets help centre). ATG Tickets - United Kingdom, 6 August 2026. Independent (ATG, a theatre group, writing about the system in its own UK theatres; the system is Sennheiser's MobileConnect) ↩︎ https://help.atgtickets.com/hc/en-gb/articles/37340098328466-How-to-join-venue-Wi-Fi-for-Mobile-Connect-on-an-Apple-device
  16. Use private Wi-Fi addresses on Apple devices. Apple. Apple Support, 5 December 2025. Manufacturer (Apple, maker of the iPhone and iPad; general guidance, not written about assistive listening) ↩︎ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102509
  17. Wi-Fi roaming support in Apple devices (Apple Platform Deployment). Apple. Apple Support, 25 September 2024. Manufacturer (Apple, maker of the iPhone and iPad; general Wi-Fi deployment guidance, not written about assistive listening) ↩︎ https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/wi-fi-roaming-support-dep98f116c0f/web
  18. WaveCAST Audio Receiver (App Store listing, version 2.11.0). Williams Sound, LLC (Williams AV). Apple App Store (seller: Williams Sound, LLC), 18 December 2024. Manufacturer (Williams AV, maker of the WaveCAST Wi-Fi system, which also sells FM, infrared, hearing loop and Auracast products; the listing and its privacy label are written by the developer) ↩︎ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wavecast-audio-receiver/id1458383632
  19. Mobile Fact Sheet. Pew Research Center, 20 November 2025. Independent (Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its primary funder; the survey was conducted for the Center by SSRS) ↩︎ https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/
  20. Assistive Listening Systems Quick Guide. Center for Hearing Access (reviewed by Juliette Sterkens, AuD). Center for Hearing Access, The John G. Shedd Institute, 29 October 2025. Nonprofit advocacy (Center for Hearing Access, an initiative of The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts; it states that it accepts no donations from hearing-related vendors) ↩︎ https://centerforhearingaccess.org/wp-content/uploads/Assistive-Listening-Systems-Quick-Guide.pdf
  21. Infrared, FM and Audio Over WiFi. RNID. RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People), 27 May 2026. Nonprofit advocacy (RNID, UK charity) ↩︎ https://rnid.org.uk/information-and-support/technology-and-products/assistive-listening/infrared-fm-and-audio-over-wifi/
  22. Hearing Aid Benefit and Satisfaction Results from the MarkeTrak 2022 Survey: Importance of Features and Hearing Care Professionals. Picou EM. Seminars in Hearing 43(4):301-316 (Thieme), 1 December 2022. Trade body (MarkeTrak is supported by the Hearing Industries Association, the US hearing aid industry's association; the issue editorial identifies guest editor Thomas Powers with Powers Consulting, not HIA; the author, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, declares no conflicts of interest) ↩︎ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9715311/
  23. Which inductive neck loops are suitable for Auracast/FM/IR receivers?. Pro Audito Schweiz. Pro Audito Schweiz; English reprint by the Center for Hearing Access, 8 September 2026. Independent (Pro Audito Schweiz, Swiss hearing-loss association) ↩︎ https://centerforhearingaccess.org/wp-content/uploads/Pro-Audito-Schweiz-Which-inductive-neck-loops-are-suitable-for-AuracastFMIR-receivers.pdf
  24. MobileConnect ADA Compliancy Statement. Sennheiser Streaming Technologies GmbH. Sennheiser, June 2021. Manufacturer (Sennheiser, maker of the MobileConnect Wi-Fi system) ↩︎ https://www.sennheiser.com/globalassets/digizuite/41165-en-mobileconnect_ada_compliancy_statement.pdf
  25. NEW: Williams AV Releases WaveCAST 8 Multichannel Wi-Fi Assistive Listening Platform. Williams AV. Williams AV (press release), 4 February 2020. Manufacturer (Williams AV, maker of the WaveCAST Wi-Fi system described, which also sells FM, infrared, hearing loop and Auracast assistive listening products) ↩︎ https://williamsav.com/new-williams-av-releases-wavecast-8-multichannel-wi-fi-assistive-listening-platform/
  26. 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. US Department of Justice. US Department of Justice (ada.gov), 15 September 2010. Government (US Department of Justice) ↩︎ https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/design-standards/2010-stds/
  27. Understanding the Assistive Listening Americans with Disabilities Act. Listen Technologies, 25 October 2023. Manufacturer (Listen Technologies, which sells RF/FM, infrared, hearing loop, Wi-Fi and Auracast assistive listening products; owned since February 2023 by Allvida, which also owns the hearing-loop maker Ampetronic) ↩︎ https://www.listentech.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ADA-White-Paper-2023-10-25-vA1-WEB.pdf
  28. AS 1428.5:2021 Design for access and mobility, Part 5: Communication for people who are deaf or hearing impaired. Standards Australia. Standards Australia (Standards Store), 3 September 2021. Standards body (Standards Australia) ↩︎ https://store.standards.org.au/product/as-1428-5-2021
  29. EU standard for hearing access in the built environment. European Federation of Hard of Hearing People (EFHOH). EFHOH, 14 March 2024. Nonprofit advocacy (European federation of hard of hearing people's organisations; its site states that its 2024-2026 publications are co-funded by the EU CERV programme) ↩︎ https://efhoh.org/2024/03/eu-standard-for-hearing-access-in-the-built-environment/
  30. CCAA Survey on Assistive Communication Technology: Graphs. Committee for Communication Access in America. Committee for Communication Access in America (ccaa.name), 2023. Nonprofit advocacy (an ad hoc committee of hearing-loss advocates chaired by Stephen O. Frazier (Loop New Mexico; a founding member of HLAA's Get in the Hearing Loop initiative), among them hearing loop advocates David Myers and Juliette Sterkens; funding not stated; the survey page says the responses were recorded by the Frost Center for Data and Social Research at Hope College) ↩︎ https://www.ccaa.name/CCAA_Graphs.pdf
  31. Consumer use of and preferences for assistive communication technology in public places. Committee for Communication Access in America (Frazier SO, Bailey A, Cadwell B, Clifford C, Liebe K, Myers D, Sterkens J). Committee for Communication Access in America, 8 January 2024. Nonprofit advocacy (an ad hoc committee of hearing-loss advocates, chaired by Stephen O. Frazier (Loop New Mexico; a founding member of HLAA's Get in the Hearing Loop initiative), the report's correspondence author; funding not stated; data collected and analysed by the Frost Center for Data and Social Research at Hope College. The committee's site lists David Myers (founder of hearingloop.org) and Juliette Sterkens (HLAA hearing loop advocate) among its members, with Abram Bailey (founder of HearingTracker), Blake Cadwell (founder and CEO of Soundly), Kevin Liebe (hearinghealthmatters.org) and Carol Clifford (audiologist, former ReSound training director)) ↩︎ https://www.ccaa.name/Report_Final_1-12-24.pdf

Change log

  • Published with 31 sources.
  • Qualified the Wi-Fi survey sample, completed the receiver minimum and kept fallback advice within venue listening systems.

Cite this question

Equal Access Audio. “What does Wi-Fi streaming need from the venue's network and from listeners' phones?” Assistive Listening Knowledge Base. Updated 13 October 2026. https://assistivelisteningknowledgebase.org/questions/wifi-networks/ (accessed the date you read it).

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