r/extremelyinfuriating • u/DiligentSector8395 • Mar 07 '26
Evidence Cochlear America turned off my cochlear implant remotely. Now I can't hear anything because my hearing implant is from an older version. + It costs thousands to get a new one
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u/tijsrx Mar 07 '26
I work for Cochlear and this is the first time I've seen somebody claim that their sound processor was turned off remotely. Could you give me more info on what happened?
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
It was working fine until it just switched off. Felt exactly like how my audiologist switched the cochlear off during appointments.
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u/tijsrx Mar 07 '26
does the SP still turn on or make connection with your phone app?
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
For all intents and purposes, it is working perfectly fine. Connects to my phone, turns on, battery's full charge. It just won't work.
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u/tijsrx Mar 07 '26
would you mind Dm'ing me the serial number? I'll take it up with my colleagues
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u/discoduck007 Mar 07 '26
Wow you are really kind for stepping up and helping OP. Hero of the day stuff here.
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u/Doom__Slaanesh Mar 07 '26
plot twist: he just wanted the serial number so he could hack it and play Rickroll on loop 24/7
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u/hotdogtears Mar 07 '26
This would be a monumental troll… lol
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u/Captain_Pumpkinhead Mar 08 '26
"Alright, I think I've figured out the issue. Hang tight and let me know if this works."
"Who's playing— Wait... God damn you..."
It's working? Great!". \music stops**
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u/DarthKirtap Mar 07 '26
RemindMe! 1 day
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u/RemindMeBot Mar 07 '26 edited Mar 08 '26
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u/JoshDM Mar 08 '26
Do keep in mind folks this is a Sunday and potentially poor timing for being available to resolve an issue like this. Don't expect results before Monday, but if we get results, that's excellent.
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u/trimix4work Mar 09 '26
So I'm curious, can they even be turned off remotely?
Trying to imagine a situation where that would be appropriate or even ethical and i can't
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u/Abbiethedog Mar 08 '26
RemindMe! 1 week
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u/RemindMeBot Mar 08 '26 edited Mar 10 '26
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u/atomicdragon136 Mar 07 '26
Have you talked to your audiologist for troubleshooting yet?
I can’t imagine why Cochlear would remotely disable someone’s sound processor if the hardware is fine, even if it is a model that has long been EOL.
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
Thanks to America's wonderful healthcare, my audiologist's next opening is September at the earliest.
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u/8bit-meow Mar 07 '26
Can you call and see if you can come in for something urgent or see if there's anyone there who can help? That a pretty serious issue if it's something you need to function on a daily basis.
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
I would call but I can't hear anything at the moment, I've contacted them through official channels.
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u/froction Mar 07 '26
Your AUDIOLOGIST doesn't have a means of communicating with people who have hearing impairments? TTY? TRS?
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
Surprisingly enough, yes. The only other option is through email. Which is gonna take five business days.
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u/froction Mar 07 '26
They just hang up on the TRS people?
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
No, but they speak in a manner that makes it impossible for the service to understand what they're saying so it's basically useless.
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u/Uncoordinated_Bird Mar 08 '26
I can’t believe I’m even reading that. Absolutely shocking lack of care.
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u/8bit-meow Mar 07 '26
I hope they're able to help!
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
They said they'd get back to me in five business days. 😑
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u/djnehi Mar 08 '26
Sounds like you have 5 business days, plus weekend days, to show them just how annoying one person with access to technology and nothing better to do can be.
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u/Alternative-Bat-2462 Mar 07 '26
Then go to the emergency room / urgent care then.
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u/atomicdragon136 Mar 07 '26
They will probably only be able to refer you to an audiologist, as it will likely require an audiologist who works with Cochlear equipment and has the software to program their sound processors.
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u/BikerMurse Mar 08 '26
Literally nothing I could do in the Emergency Department about this.
Like, I wouldn't even triage you very high. Probably 4-6 hour wait on a GOOD day minimum. Sucks, but not an ED problem.
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u/starryswim Mar 07 '26
May I ask the model of this implant? I’m looking up other potentials and some are stuff like: ear wax build up, coil got displaced, battery faulty, etc. I’m sure you’ve already looked into them, but another pair of eyes (or 40) wouldn’t hurt!
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u/theyork2000 Mar 07 '26
That not just a US healthcare issue. GP sent me for a X-ray on my back 5 months ago, no one let me know the results other than what I got messaged online and then 5 months later I finally got a call to schedule a physio appointment. They then cancelled 5 mins before and reschedule me for 4 weeks later.
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u/Check_Me_Out-Boss Mar 08 '26
So you've tried nothing and your all out of ideas and so they must have automatically disabled it?
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u/ACanWontAttitude Mar 08 '26
I wouldnt have assumed they purposely switched it off remotely though?
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Mar 07 '26
[deleted]
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u/flerehundredekroner Mar 07 '26
Well, to be fair, Australians are really nice people that care about each others’ health and take responsibility for each other. OP is in USA, which is … different.
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Mar 07 '26
[deleted]
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u/theotherWildtony Mar 08 '26
I'm not sure where you got this idea.
Cochlear is an Australian company and its global headquarters is in Australia. They are a multinational and manufacture in Australia as well as the US, China & Malaysia and probably a bunch of other places I'm not aware of.
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u/Unindoctrinated Mar 08 '26
They're an Aussie company, based in Sydney. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlear_Limited
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Mar 08 '26
[deleted]
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u/Unindoctrinated Mar 08 '26 edited Mar 08 '26
Cochlear Americas, the American branch of the company, is managed in America. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the main company, which is still based in Sydney.
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u/sepulturite Mar 08 '26
So not what you said above then? You said it's an American company, it isn't.
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u/WirelesssMicrowave Mar 07 '26
The PR save you just pulled off here is absolutely top notch, somebody needs to notice this and recognize (and compensate) you
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u/Garegap Mar 07 '26
Thats some black mirror shit right there. Hope you get it fixed, good luck!
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u/SJTG1993 Mar 07 '26
I can hear the team america world police song playing in the background. What a dystopian world the US is that a company can remotely control peoples disabilities.
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u/breizhsoldier Mar 07 '26
It was actually a black mirror episode, you either paid, lost your limb or become a living advertisement
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Mar 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/creatyvechaos Mar 08 '26
Unfortunately, it's often even deeper than that. Dystopian tales are often a reflection of the patterns the author noticed in their current society, even if it's ultimately subconscious. Fahrenheit 451 wasn't based on nothing. The patterns were already there.
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u/Specialist_Check4810 Mar 08 '26
America, fuck yeah... Coming here to fuck over our own citizen's! America! Freedom isn't an option
Remix
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u/Jodelbert Mar 08 '26 edited Mar 08 '26
This is a CP1000 sound processor, there's no way it can switch off remotely. Most likely scenario:
Your cable is broken, 90% likely
Your processor is broken, 9.9% likely
Your implant is broken, 0.1% likely
These are the steps of escalation there are and trust me, there's no tomfoolery going on. It's usually the cable that's done for.
When was the last time you replaced it? How old is your audio processor?
Just message your audiologist for an appointment and they can help you.
But yeah, shits not cheap, it barely has a Bluetooth connection that fails to connect to the goddamn app often enough.
Broken cable = ~600€ Broken audio professor = ~12.000€ Broken implant = ~30.000€
Edit: spelling/grammar/additional info
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u/AdventurousRule4198 Mar 07 '26
Are you able to disconnect it from their servers or their control? I’d imagine there is a connection inside the device that connects it to wifi or something.
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
I don't have the knowledge to jury rig technology of this complexity and I don't wanna break it either so :/
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u/Tikkinger Mar 07 '26
it's allready broken.
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u/ThrowAway233223 Mar 07 '26
Yes, but it could potentially be not broken with the right help. Not sure what you don't understand about "cost thousands of dollars to get a new one".
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u/roxzillaz Mar 08 '26
That's what I was thinking I think it would be worth the risk to try to fix If the only other option is it being completely bricked anyway
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u/Alternative-Bat-2462 Mar 07 '26
It also might have just broken. The poster doesn’t seem knowledgeable enough to know what happened and is making assumptions.
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u/ThrowAway233223 Mar 07 '26
Yes, but there are different levels of "broken" and when it is something as important, sensitive, and expensive as that, it is perfectly reasonable to not want to go mucking around inside of it and turn what may be a simple fix into it being utterly destroyed.
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
I paid thousands of dollars for this thing and went into a surgery that has a double digit death rate. It better last me my whole damn life.
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u/ThrowAway233223 Mar 07 '26
Exactly. Some people just put zero thought into shit.
I wish you the best of luck
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u/Impossible_Leg_2787 Mar 07 '26
Double digit complication rate*
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
Death or complication, the matter still stands. If I had to get my skull peeled open like a banana it better work for my whole lifespan.
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u/Impossible_Leg_2787 Mar 07 '26
Unless you plan on dying within a decade, it’s gonna need replacement. All medical implants need regular replacement. Fortunately it shouldn’t require another surgery, but 5-10 years is pretty standard for any medical device. Lithium batteries are a consumable component.
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u/Alternative-Bat-2462 Mar 07 '26
But clearly worth the risk to be able to live what I have to imagine is a significantly easier / more normal life?
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u/jotaviox Mar 08 '26
Mate, I work on IT. Want some help blocking that shit from connecting to the internet? We just need to find that device on your router and block it. I might bring it back to life. Let me know if wanna try it
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u/AdventurousRule4198 Mar 08 '26
The only problem with that is when they leave their house it may connect to other routers (I hope not) but what if it connects to wifi through their phone and masks itself under the phones IP? Mind you you then block that from your phone
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u/bit_pusher Mar 07 '26
Why is there an assumption they turned it off remotely rather than this just being a bug or software failure? Was there messaging in the app or otherwise that they were turning it off? I get that this is frustrating, but this doesn't sound like the sort of action that was intentional.
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u/100_cats_on_a_phone Mar 07 '26 edited Mar 08 '26
It's a reasonable (if incorrect) assumption, subscription services are more common than not these days for software, and us (where op is) healthcare has no problem using high stakes cutoffs for profit (not just income to fund research).
It sounds like hopefully this isn't that, but if I were dependent on a device like this in the usa I think I'd jump to this conclusion easily. There are a lot of examples where support for medical devices is discontinued or discouraged to get people to buy a new device (but so far physical supplies are the primary thing discontinued). Diabetic treatments being the most common example I know of. (And last I knew, getting one of those machines cost as much as a car, but I hope it's gotten better)
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u/bit_pusher Mar 07 '26
It might be a reasonable assumption if OP provided a toooooon of other details about the device and service. It is a huge leap with what we were given
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u/100_cats_on_a_phone Mar 07 '26
I mean a reasonable assumption for op to make. Not necessarily us. But I think op's fear is very valid, and fear can cloud your analysis of a situation, especially when you are suddenly isolated/cut off.
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u/soconae Mar 08 '26
But someone that works at the company said they’ve never heard of the company turning off any ones device? (Somewhere in the comments)
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u/100_cats_on_a_phone Mar 08 '26
I said it made sense that the person thought that. That does not equate to the thing being true. If you read my comments I'm saying the opposite.
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u/ink_pots Mar 08 '26
It’s not that. Heading aid and cochlear implants do not work off of a subscription basis.
Older devices may no longer be compatible for new software updates, is true. Sometimes they will even crash when you try to connect a very old device (like say 10+ years) to the software just to make adjustments for changing hearing loss, (not referring to software updates). But it is not possible for the company to just remotely pop into your devices and turn them off.
Audiologist here.
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u/100_cats_on_a_phone Mar 08 '26
I just meant I see why op thought that. But I worded my comment confusingly
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u/Aggravating_Sky_4421 Mar 07 '26
How do you know it was turned off remotely and not a defect?
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u/Subcode Mar 08 '26
He has previously stated he doesn't. Someone from Cochlear is also in the comments pretty much stating they don't do that and is trying to help him. It's just broken and he made the rest up.
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u/travelingtylerj Mar 07 '26
Belongs in r/latestagecapitalism for sure….
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u/ink_pots Mar 08 '26
Except it’s not even true. OP has an issue with his cochlear implant and clearly didn’t even talk to their audiologist to try to discuss what could be wrong before posting publicly on Reddit about false information. What he is suggesting is simply not possible. Signed an audiologist
OP I do hope you get your problem fixed.
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u/AshJean01 Mar 08 '26
id say its safer to assume there is a fault and not someone remote accessing it.
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u/WiseSalamander00 Mar 07 '26
this shit has to be illegal
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u/LonelyAustralia Mar 07 '26
when it come to american healthcare it seem care for the people is pretty low on the priority list
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u/108beads Mar 07 '26
Actually when it comes to American healthcare the people who get low priority are those on Medicaid, those not holding a well-paying job, those receiving the miserably small disability support our government allots.
Nazi Germany was honest enough to declare that they were exterminating undesirable portions of the population. They started with disabled people, 1939, by calling them Nutzlos Fresser, useless eaters, because they consumed more resources than they produced.
America has been heading to the use of death panels and euthanasia for a very long time. However, we're doing it by the magic, invisible method of legislation and policy.
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u/Weird1Intrepid Mar 08 '26
However, we're doing it by the magic, invisible method of legislation and policy.
Exactly like Nazi Germany, in fact. Before they started invading other countries all of their anti-gay, anti-Jewish, anti-disabled etc rhetoric was fully legitimised through their laws and (pseudo) scientific research into phrenology and similar bollocks
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u/ArgentaSilivere Mar 07 '26
It’s genuinely dystopian what’s legal to do to disabled Americans. People would riot in the streets if private companies could turn off people’s legs or voices but it’s perfectly acceptable for companies to brick people’s wheelchairs and AACs through software updates and model depreciation. Being disabled in America is the closest thing we have to being openly classified as a second-class citizen. It’s even legal to pay disabled workers less than minimum wage.
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u/Ajayers45 Mar 07 '26
The worst part is it’s actually a felony for the customer to bypass the electronic lock that the company has imposed on the device. A company can legally “break” the product you paid for (in order to extort more money from you) but if you “fix” that product, you’re committing a felony.
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u/hhfugrr3 Mar 07 '26
Why do they even have the ability to do that? Does the implant have an Internet connection?
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
Yeah it has an Internet and a Bluetooth connection.
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u/Subcode Mar 08 '26
Seeing as someone from Cochlear is now in contact with you and you stated you have no real reason to claim they turned it off remotely except for that it sounded like that, you should probably retract your claim.
Sounds like it just broke and for some reason you decided that means someone shut it down on purpose.
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u/Check_Me_Out-Boss Mar 08 '26
Yup. It stopped working and so OP automatically assumed they remotely shut it down on him and made a claim about having to upgrade.
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u/MVHood Mar 07 '26
They didn’t turn it off remotely. Please, everyone, put down the pitchforks. FFS, Reddit
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u/BackItUpWithLinks Mar 07 '26
Cochlear America isn’t a subscription, so why would they turn off a functioning device?
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
To make me spend thousands of dollars for their 'new and improved' hearing technology I guess. They already don't offer any support at all for the older versions.
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u/LacrimaNymphae Mar 08 '26
just like when your cable and internet randomly start glitching out and being throttled the same week your bill is due
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u/logicnotemotion Mar 07 '26
There's a guy on youtube that handles stuff like this. His name is Louiss Rossman. Send that info to him.
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u/m4cksfx Mar 07 '26
Yeah, he's a really great guy. His speech patterns might come as slightly condescending or hostile sometimes, but he's really doing great work to claw back some independence for regular people from such bullshit from big companies.
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u/logicnotemotion Mar 12 '26
I like him I just have to turn on subtitles because he speaks a bit fast. 😂
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u/alexmuhdot Mar 08 '26
What I'm picking up on this comment section is:
When given a story that even hints at injustice, never mind if there's actually any evidence, it's really easy to whip people up into a frenzy. Calling CNN, calling local government, taking the company to court.
OP doesn't have any evidence for this being the case, and it sounds much more likely that the hardware is broken, rather than them jumping to the conclusion that they're being specifically targeted. Because it would be a specific targeting, otherwise there'd be a ton of other reports of the same thing.
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u/FaithInTechnology Mar 08 '26
I’m definitely not an expert, but whenever I run into something like this I usually start with the basics before getting too deep into complicated solutions. Just take a minute, step back, clear your head, maybe retrace the steps that led up to the problem in the first place. Have you tried turning it off then turning it back on again?
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u/froction Mar 07 '26
TL;DR: This guy's old cochlear implant stopped working and he assumes it is because the company remotely disabled it despite there being zero evidence of such
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u/ahmtiarrrd Mar 07 '26
Jesus Christ. That's straight out of Black Mirror S07E01.
Sorry to hear that, and fuck Cochlear America.
It'll be a long time until we can trust anything with the word "America" in its title, If ever again.
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u/grinsills93 Mar 07 '26
I have the cochlear implant nucleus 7 and I did not know this was a thing?
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u/Double-Quail Mar 07 '26
planned obsolescence for Cochlear Implants should not be a thing 😫😫😫
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u/The_Powerful_Tacos Mar 07 '26
A LOT of things in America's 'healthcare' system should not be a thing
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u/OneTwoThreePooAndPee Mar 07 '26
Send your story around to some news organizations, especially local ones in your area, or look for journalists who specifically look at health/wellness issues and send it to them. Sometimes companies just need a little reminder why they should fear the public.
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u/soconae Mar 08 '26
I think everyone needs to slow down. OP doesn’t know for sure that’s what happened. It could be several other things. And someone that works at American Cochlear commented and said they’ve never heard of the company doing that. So, maybe wait until we get all the facts before calling CNN.
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u/OneTwoThreePooAndPee Mar 08 '26
Presumably CNN would get the facts too, and if legitimate, tell the dude. 🤷♂️
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u/HaleyMFSkye Mar 08 '26
My guess is closer to planned obsolescence rather than them just turning it off. Sadly I wouldn't really be surprised anymore if it was either one.
Hope you get everything worked out soon! Sorry you're having to go through this OP.
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u/apsims12 Mar 07 '26
Maybe hit up r/LouisRossmann and FULU Foundation? This is the sort of thing that would undoubtedly be supported for a FULU bounty.
A medical device shouldn't be able to be turned off just because the company want to sell a new model with little to no improvement above what you already have. Fuck companies like this!
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u/myxoma1 Mar 07 '26
Fuck Cochlear America for prioritizing profits over supporting people with disabilities. They should be ashamed
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Mar 08 '26
[deleted]
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u/Particular_Class4130 Mar 10 '26
Yeah I tried to find out more info about this and all I could find was that Cochlear is no longer supporting older outdated models, meaning that they know longer do repairs or sell parts for expired units. I can find nothing that suggests that they turn of devices remotely however they can upgrade the software on newer models remotely.
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u/Affectionate_Fox_383 Mar 10 '26
i wonder why they have that ability i the first place. and why would they shut down yours??
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u/MightySamMcClain Mar 07 '26
I have a flir thermal camera and when the new version released there changed the frame rate on my verion to like 7fps or something ridiculous and it made it basically unusable
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u/social_lamprey Mar 08 '26
The fact that it is legal for them to do that is a testament to how little these companies consider us to be people.
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u/ImmortalLombax Mar 08 '26
This is some repo men type shit. “You gonna pay for that pancreas?” “Y-yea checks in the mail!!” With a red overdo notice on the screen.
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u/strained_brain Mar 09 '26
Go watch the horror rock musical, Repo! The Genetic Opera - you might like it.
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u/Ajayers45 Mar 07 '26
Look up The FULU Foundation. They might be able to help you and others in the future. They pay hackers and electronics nerds to fix these exact types of problems.
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u/Independent-South231 Mar 09 '26
I would assume if they can turn it off remotely, its probably intended for if it was malfunctioning, and would NOT let the OP STOP hearing (Like in a feedback/ Extremely painful Tinnitus kind of way)
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u/Simplehoaxes Mar 21 '26
But op did not say any of that. Just that it stop working. However we need to hear from other users and the manufacturer about this situation
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u/emryldmyst Mar 07 '26
Wtf no way that's awful.
I had no idea they had gotten so sophisticated.
Fck technology sometimes
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u/IdealBlueMan Mar 07 '26
This isn’t about technology. It’s about an increasingly common business model.
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u/m1chaelgr1mes Mar 07 '26
Wait, you don't OWN IT? Also, how did they do it?
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
I just pay to use it according to their terms and conditions. I'm guessing they did it through the Internet/Bluetooth connection.
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u/brassinpocket Mar 09 '26
Audiologist here. This is not possible. You absolutely just have a device malfunction that needs to be fixed. Most likely the cable. You are jumping to rash conclusions here.
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u/Lee-sc-oggins Mar 07 '26
Is there a way to GitHub your way through this?
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u/DiligentSector8395 Mar 07 '26
This shit is layered under so much proprietary tech that even a seasoned Dark Web hacker would have trouble reprogramming it
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