Telecom companies ready to add panic button to mobiles: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Amid worries that the government’s move to make panic button mandatory will increase the cost of mobile handsets, telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday said that he will take up the issue up with the industry.

“I will talk to them. India is a big market. For your information, I have discussed this with everyone. Manufactures who understand this have given their support. My expectation is that they will render their support in social justice and women security,” he told reporters on Thursday.

The government has mandated that all mobile phones to be sold in India after January 1, 2017, should have a panic button enabling users to make emergency call or send out alerts to multiple numbers by just pressing a button.

“Panic button means there will be a button (on phone), if any women is in distress, someone is harassing her then she can press this button. Local police station and prescribed number of her family will automatically get alert. This will start from January 1,” Prasad said.

In-built GPS would also be mandatory for all phones from January 1, 2018.