The Hearing Trade

Old phones offer a new solution to address hearing loss.

“The Hearing Trade” for STC from VML Saudi Arabia shows how an innovative collaboration can deliver a solution to help empower and connect a population that lives in challenging conditions.

The campaign tackled different issues in Saudi Arabia: inclusivity, healthcare and the environment that are all part of the country’s ambitious goals of their Vision 2030 plan of “no one left behind” as well as STC’s core value of improving people’s lives through technology and innovation.

By developing accessible hearing devices from scratch using discarded pieces of technology, we created a memorable and relevant brand activation for those needing hearing care.

In our field, we have gone beyond our thinking and enabled technology to serve our society by recycling old phones and turning them into hearing amplifiers that improve hearing for everyone.

Olayan Alwetaid

CEO, Saudi Telecom Group

With only 17% of e-waste being recycled, there are many usable parts, common to every phone model, that can be repurposed. By 2050, over 700 million people – or 1 in every 10 people – will have disabling hearing loss which can cause problems in mental health, development, education, inclusivity and even employment.

Only a small percentage of people with hearing loss wear hearing devices and price is one of the most significant barriers – especially in developing countries.

Old phones are thrown away by the millions every day or remain unused by their owners with functioning spare parts that can be used for good. STC saw an innovative and sustainable solution to boost inclusion and accessibility while helping address profligate electronic waste.

We repurposed old phones and reassembled them into new devices that improve hearing capacity. The blueprints for the design are free and open-source – allowing individuals and organizations around the world to adapt it to type of phone.

The Hearing Trade devices are in use across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are helping people feel included instead of isolated. Reports mention better performance at school and work and higher quality family time. Many are reconnecting with family members and working on social skills. STC is on its way to achieving its goal to help Saudis with its expertise and access to technology and contribute to KSA’s Vision 2030.