Near field magnetic induction communication over multiple channels

A method of operating a hearing device system, comprising:

• communicating between a first hearing device and a second hearing device through at least first, second, and third independent near field magnetic induction (NFMI) communication channels, comprising:
• emitting an NFMI signal from one or more of a first magnetic coil, a second magnetic coil, and a third magnetic coil of the first device, the first magnetic coil of the first device oriented along a first axis, the second magnetic coil of the first device oriented along a second axis different from the first axis, and the third magnetic coil of the first device oriented along a third axis different from the first and second axes;
• detecting the NFMI signal at one or more of a first magnetic coil, a second magnetic coil, and a third magnetic coil of the second device, the first magnetic coil of the second device oriented along a fourth axis, the second magnetic coil of the second device oriented along a fifth axis different from the fourth axis, and the third magnetic coil of the second device oriented along a sixth axis different from the fourth and fifth axes;
• outputting a first signal in response to a first magnetic polarization component of the detected NFMI signal;
• outputting a second signal in response to a second magnetic polarization component of the detected NFMI signal;
• outputting a third signal in response to a third magnetic polarization component of the detected NFMI signal;
• adjusting a gain and a phase of each of the first, second, and third signals and outputting an adjusted first signal, an adjusted second signal, and an adjusted third signal;
• and
• summing the first, second, and third adjusted signals.