How to choose an Auracast installer: 10 questions to ask

Start with three facts

• We know of no Auracast installer certification. The Bluetooth SIG qualifies products and lets venues register their locations. We found no SIG program that certifies installers or installations. If someone says "Auracast certified installer", ask who certified them, and to what.
• The SIG has published steps for installers. Its transmitter guide lists them: mount the transmitter central and high, name the broadcast, keep Standard Quality on, choose open or private, set the power by walking the room with a receiver, check again with people in the room, and register the location. A good installer does at least this.
• Bigger rooms need real design. An advisory note in the 2010 ADA Standards says choosing a system for "a large or complex venue requires assistance from a professional sound engineer."

Ten questions, and why they matter

1. How will you know it works with the room full?

People absorb 2.4 GHz signal. In one study at 2.4 GHz, a single person standing in the path added about 10 dB of measured path loss, and two people about 15 dB. A plan made for an empty room can fail on the day. Listen for an answer about mounting height, predicting coverage with the audience in the room, and testing during real use. Our deep dive on walls, crowds and 2.4 GHz explains why.

2. Where will the transmitters go, and why there?

Expect high, central, with a clear view over the seats, and not in a cupboard, rack or behind metal. The SIG guide says to avoid "enclosures such as cupboards, or behind metal partitions or counters." More in our guide to transmitter placement.

3. Where will the audio come from?

What people hear depends on the feed from your sound system. Ask which output will be used, whether it follows the main mix, and who will set it up if your system is all digital.

4. How will you test it, and what will you give us?

Look for a walk test at the farthest seats, a check of the radio band at a busy time, and a listening test with the receivers people will actually use. Ask for a written record. The UK's industry code of practice expects a certificate for the venue, and the new IEC 63087:2026 standard includes an assessment report for assistive listening systems. Our commissioning guide shows what a good test covers.

5. How will people with hearing aids join?

A good answer mentions the Standard Quality stream (the one hearing aids use), the hearing-aid makers' apps, and loan receivers with neckloops for people whose hearing aids have a telecoil but not Auracast.

6. How many loan receivers and neckloops do we need, and why?

In the US, the ADA sets a minimum by seating capacity, with at least a quarter of the receivers hearing-aid compatible through neckloops. The answer should come from that table, not from a guess. See what the ADA asks.

7. What happens to our hearing loop?

A Bluetooth SIG blog post reports that panels at the HLAA 2025 convention called it best practice to add Auracast "alongside current systems". A good installer keeps a working loop unless there is a strong reason not to.

8. Can the room next door hear it, and does that matter here?

Walls reduce the signal but do not stop it. For courtrooms, side-by-side meeting rooms or cinemas, ask about private broadcasts and transmitter power.

9. Will you register the location with the Bluetooth SIG?

Registration lets a venue use the Auracast trademarks to promote the service. The SIG's form allows an "Installer with approval from the location" to register, once the broadcast "is fully deployed and accessible."

10. What training, signs and upkeep are included?

Staff need to know how to hand out and charge receivers and how to help a visitor join. Signs and join cards need the broadcast name and a QR code. The SIG recommends "regular checks" that broadcasts are available in installations with no loudspeakers, where a fault could otherwise go unnoticed.

Warning signs

• Promises that equipment alone makes you meet the ADA, or "guaranteed coverage" before anyone has visited.
• No site visit for anything bigger than a small, simple room.
• No mention of loan receivers, neckloops or signs.
• Plans to put the transmitter in the equipment rack or a closet.
• No written record of what was tested.

Common questions

Is there an official list of Auracast installers?

We know of no official installer list or certification. The Bluetooth SIG keeps a database of registered locations, not installers.

Should we get more than one quote?

For anything beyond a single small room, comparing two designs is a good way to see who has thought about coverage, the audio feed and receivers.