Description of Event or Problem · 0
I'M A RECIPIENT OF THE C1 IMPLANT FROM ADVANCED BIONICS (AB) AND HAVE BEEN USING THEIR COCHLEAR IMPLANTS SINCE 1999. HOWEVER AB HAS DISCONTINUED THE BEHIND THE EAR (BTE) IMPLANTS IN FAVOR OF THE BODY PROCESSOR WHICH IS VERY LIMITING COMPARED TO THE BTE. THEY HAVE MANY MORE CI MODELS TO CHOOSE FROM HOWEVER NONE OF THEM ARE COMPATIBLE WITH US C1 RECIPIENTS. AB HAS ABANDONED THEIR OLD IMPLANT USERS AND LEFT US WITH NO COURSE FOR UPGRADES OR COMPATIBILITY WITH NEWER PRODUCTS. CIS SHOULD BE UPGRADED EVERY 5 YEARS AND IT TOOK 15 YEARS TO GET MY NEXT UPGRADE OF THE EXACT SAME CI WHICH TOOK THEM TWO YEARS TO LOCATE A REFURBISHED LOANER FOR THE HARMONY CI SINCE THEY DISCONTINUED THEM. THEY FORCED ME TO GET THE BODY PROCESSOR, THE CHORUS, WHICH I DESPISE AND I FOUND IT EXTREMELY LIMITING COMPARED TO THE BTE PROCESSOR. THIS ISSUE EXTENDS TO ANYONE WHO WAS IMPLANTED WITH THE FIRST GENERATION OF IMPLANTS AT THE TIME, C1, WHICH RANGES FROM 1998ISH TO 2002ISH. IT'S VERY HARD TO FIND REPLACEMENT BATTERIES, CORDS, HEADPIECES FOR THE BTE PROCESSOR AS RESOURCES ARE DRYING UP AFTER A DECADE OF BEING DISCONTINUED AND AM RELYING ON THE SECOND-HAND MARKET. THIS IS NOT HOW A COMPANY SHOULD BE TREATING THEIR CLIENTS THAT RELY ON THE TECHNOLOGY AND LEAVE US BEHIND FOR NEWER AND ECONOMICALLY LUCRATIVE NEWER MODELS AND NEWER IMPLANTEES AND NOT LEAVE US ANY RECOURSE. MY CI IS DIFFERENT COLORS AND TAPED UP SHODDILY JUST TO KEEP IT FUNCTIONAL FOR THE LONG TERM. THE INTERNAL IMPLANTS ARE MADE TO LAST A LIFETIME BUT THE COMPANY WILL NOT SERVE US FOR A LIFETIME.