More than a year after iPhone's release, its popularity has yet to wane. And now it's more accessible to deaf and hard of hearing users.

To buy an iPhone is to be locked into a service contract with AT&T. Fortunately, AT&T announced in early May a Text Accessibility Plan (TAP) for the iPhone. It was specifically developed for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, have a speech disability and/or hearing loss, and was designed with input from the community, according to AT&T's web site. AT&T has cheaper TAP plans for other phones as well.

The $40/month plan includes unlimited SMS messages, unlimited data usage (email and web), $.40/minute pay-per-use voice, and visual voice mail. It's like a T-Mobile Sidekick data-only plan, but more expensive, and with a subtle difference. The visual voice mail interface allows a user to see who called without having to navigate a phone tree. This means a deaf or hard of hearing user wouldn't have to use a relay or other type of service to see who called and subsequently call them back.

One downside to the iPhone -- which I reported on last January -- is that there is no native Instant Messaging service. This should change in the very near future since Apple has enabled third parties to develop programs for the phone. There is a pseudo-AIM service, though that has its problems as well. In addition to intermittent service, there aren't any buddy icons or groups.

As the AT&T site says, customers will need to qualify for this plan by completing the disability certification forms. Naturally this involves a verification of disability from a certifying agent -- a qualified health care professional, audiologist, etc. Once iPhone is activated through the regular procedures, and the forms have been processed -- about one to two business days -- the National Center for Customers with Disabilities will change the phone to the TAP plan. Customers can call to verify, but otherwise, there is no need to call, contrary to what the web site says.

Other companies have similar plans. Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI) has collaborated with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon, according to Jim House, the TDI Public Relations and Resource Development Officer. "All of them now have service plans on a wide selection of phones, partly as a result of our collaboration," he says. "TDI was able to assist them in documenting the need for such plans through surveys, focus group meetings, and other activities."

After all, it's not just hearing people who want to be on the cutting edge; there are gadget freaks within the DHOH community too. As House says, the deaf demographics mirror the rest of society. "TDI is pleased to see that consumers have more options today that are applicable to every demographic group -- even the iPhone," he says. "Some people want the newest and the latest, while others are content to keep things simple."

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