Question : GPS and Panic Button in Cell Phones

(a) whether there is a proposal by TRAI under consideration of the Government to make GPS mandatory for all mobile phone handsets made and sold in India;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the objective of the Government behind this move;

(c) the time by which the proposal is likely to be approved and implemented;

(d) whether the Government has also received suggestion from Ministry of Women and Child Development for introduction of panic button in cell phone for safety of women; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto?

THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) to (c) Madam, TRAI in its recommendation on the subject ‘Single Number based Integrated Emergency Communication & Response System (IECRS)’ dated 07/04/2015 has recommended for mandating a transition to GPS enabled handsets within a certain time-frame so as to obtain more accurate location information of the caller. The government has referred back the matter to TRAI for reconsideration. Reconsidered opinion of TRAI is under examination.

(d) Department of Telecommunications has received suggestions from Ministry of Women & Child Development for introduction of panic button in cell phone for safety of women to enable dialing of emergency number on all mobile phone handsets so that a women user can access help at the time of distress.

(e) Department of Telecommunications has conducted meetings with all the stakeholders i.e. all mobile handset manufacturers, all telecom service providers, Indian Cellular Association, representatives from Ministry of Women & Child Development and Department of Electronics & Information Technology to find out the solution for implementing Panic button in mobile phone handsets.