Mobile phone makers say the GPS ruling is not in the interest of consumers. Here’s why

The mobile handset makers have argued the decision of the telecom department, which announced mandatory GPS on all mobile phones, including feature phones, from January 2018.

The mobile phone makers argue that the decision is not in the interest of people as adding GPS in feature phones will make the phones costly.

Handset makers say the price of basic phones would go up by Rs 400 as the cheapest phone available in the market is for Rs 500.

READ ALSO: From Jan 2017, women in distress can press the ‘panic button’ on their mobile phones for immediate help

"Implementation of GPS in new mobile handset will not be in the interest of consumers at the bottom of the pyramid," ET quoted a letter from Indian Cellular Association (ICA) president Pankaj Mohindroo to telecom secretary JS Deepak.

Instead, Mohindroo has suggested A-GPS or Alternative GPS, which can also track mobile phone users in distress.

Reportedly, the GPS component would cost up to Rs 66.7 and the required software would hike the overall cost to Rs 400.

While numeric keys 5 and 9 were identified as push buttons for an emergency in feature phone handsets, in smartphones, handset manufacturers will have to provide an 'emergency' button or a facility to send an alert by short-pressing the power on/off button thrice in quick succession.

Meanwhile, the handset makers are fine with the ‘panic button’, that will be mandatory in all phones from January 2017 as it would just require a software change, an easy task.

"We are already working on incorporating the panic button in our phones and should be able to meet the timelines prescribed by the ministry," Sanjay Kumar Kalirona, head-mobile business, Intex Technologies, told ET.

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