Govt, telcos differ; say too early to press panic button
If you are one of India’s 400 million women who use cellphones, you might want to keep that pepper spray can handy, because the panic button is still far from becoming a reality.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is yet to determine interpret operators’ role in implementing the feature.
For the panic button or the SOS call to go through,one should be able to make the call even when he doesn’t have balance or network coverage by latching on to another network. An user should also be able to make the call even without a SIM card.
The governement, however, is yet to figure out a way to implement the feature by roping in operators. Telcos are still spectrum-sharing deals have to be signed on a regular basis. These pacts are signed in emergencies.
“Currently there are no such agreements in place. If the panic button has to be a reality, then a regulatory move is needed for clarity of operators and users,” said Rajan Mathews, directorgeneral of Cellular Operators Association of India.
Device manufacturers are
DOT HAS SAID THAT ALL MOBILE DEVICES WILL HAVE TO COME WITH A PANIC BUTTON FROM JANUARY 1, 2017
under pressure following a notification from the DoT that any phone sold from January 1, 2017 should have the panic button or the ability to trigger an SOS call. Industry sources have said that the deadline is too short and they would need more time to comply.
“We had requested for technical and regulatory clarifications about the panic button. We are studying DoT’s response,” said Pankaj Mahindro, president, Indian Cellular Association.
Industry sources said they were not happy testing the SOS call on the current emergency number 100. “We want to test the button on the actual emergency number 112,” a source said.
The panic button is a part of the Nirbhaya Fund Scheme launched in early 2014. The telecom ministry has started negotiations with the Department of Information Technology in 2015, and has set a deadline of March 2016 for the launch of the button.