I saw my Audiologist today about using my Phonak Audeo M90-13T with my Roger Pen that I use with my cochlear implant. I got the Roger Pen in late 2017. I was shocked that I would have to pay Phonak roughly $600 to turn on the receiver for the Pen which is already in the hearing aid and we would also need an installer which cost $300 approximately. The Phonak representative said that they would include the installer in the purchase but they don’t usually do that. The cost of the receiver is being offered to me at my audiologist’s cost so I’m supposed to be getting a deal but it doesn’t feel like it, especially since I simply can’t afford $600 at this time. I was under the impression when I bought the expensive Audeo that this would be an automatic upgrade. My audiologist had no idea this would cost so much, she’s a wonderful person by the way. I bought the Audeo because it was marketed to work with my Roger Pen and I feel Phonak misled me by not making it clear that when the upgrade became available it would cost me a lot. I’m not even buying a Pen from them, only the ability to connect my hearing aid to the Roger.
Wow that’s outrageous, so typical of them to try to make out they are helping you (the manufacturer in this case) but really just checking to see how deep your pockets are!
Since you have a sympathetic audiologist why not get what you need from eBay hardware wise, I’m not sure what you mean when you say Phonak will need to turn the receiver on?
As I would think anything that needs to be set up would be done within the target software by your audiologist, most likely within your appointment “time” limit that the clinic’s work within.
Thanks Tenkan, I don’t really understand it either. There isn’t any hardware that I need as this seems to be a software upgrade. My hearing aid was designed to stream directly with the Roger Pen without an intermediate piece. But the upgrade wasn’t available until this past Oct. or Nov. I’m not techy at all so hard for me to even have the language to explain this.
It’s not done in Target. There have been extensive discussions about this on the forum. Some of the reports seem conflicting, but the basic idea is to transfer something akin to a key or license from a Roger X receiver to the hearing aid. Alternatively one can buy a Roger Device that already has the key included. Charging $300 for the “installer” seems pretty lame. Glad they waved that.
Yes expensive but $600 is, as Roger prices go, a good price.
But, how were you using the pen before? If you were connecting through a compilot neck loop then you should still be able to do that
I feel for you about this.
The first thought that comes to mind is the Phonak aid came as a package with your CI. The Roger pen was part of the CI package I am guessing or did you go out and buy the pen separately and then have it paired with the CI?
The reason I ask is it might be worth asking whoever put this package together should be setting up the aid for the Roger device as part of the package. Now if the pen was a separate purchase you might be stuck with the Roger install fee.
Good luck.
That sounds like Phonak to me. As I understand it, Marvels aren’t designed to use the older Roger receiver. So, instead of buying the receiver as in the past, you must purchase a license. This insures that Phonak is still making money off their Roger technology, even though you have already purchased the pen and receiver which, I assume, connects to your CI controller. The situation gets even more confusing, and aggravating, when you look at the new Roger Select iN, which seems to have been designed specifically for Marvel. The iN contains the license codes which must be transferred to your Marvels before they will work. If you decide to change aids at a later date, the codes must be transferred back into the Roger Select iN. Sounds crazy, no? Phonak has it set up so there is no bargain to be had here. The Roger Select iN retails for about $1700. I know it isn’t fair, but if you want to use your Roger pen with your Marvels, you will just have to pay up. There should be some kind of standard, which all the manufacturers have to use without royalties. But there wouldn’t be nearly as much money in that.
@Shirley couldn’t your CI Aud do it for you? Do you have an AB CI?
WOW! that’s outrageously expensive, and it appears to be a rip off to me…
Thank heavens I went with Cochlear and the N7.
Phonak was super vague about how the direct connectivity would work and everyone was disappointed that it didn’t bring down Roger costs.
But at the end of the day, there was no premium paid for the hearing aids to reflect the on-board Roger–they were priced the same as usual. And Roger pricing has remained the same as it has always been. The biggest difference is that market awareness of Roger has gone way up.
No, I have Med-El. If I had it to do over again, I think I would go with AB. I have no complaints about my Med-El but they don’t partner with any hearing aid company.
So far, I have only been using my Roger Pen with my cochlear implant which has a direct connection.
Hi Oystein, I got an email with your reply. I was quoted $400. for a mylink. I looked at E-Bay but didn’t see any.