Whilst systems such as signing using British Sign Language and captioning exist they can be very expensive to use at every performance. As far as is known previous systems using radio frequencies have been discontinued although some systems using Bluetooth are becoming available. Therefore for most auditoria the choice of a hearing assistance system will be either an inductive loop or an infra-red installation.
Patrons with hearing impairment are often accompanied by someone who can ensure their safety. However to comply with the Equality Act it is sensible for the hearing assistance system to also carry general announcements made within the auditorium as well as any voice evacuation instructions. For this reason consideration should be given to providing hearing assistance in other public areas of the venue as well as in the auditorium.