Citing consumer safety, especially of women, the telecom department has rejected handset makers’ demand for using alternative technology instead of GPS in low cost mobiles, while the industry warned that the decision will push up prices of such feature phones by over 50 percent.
The government has made it mandatory to install Global Positioning System (GPS) in all mobile phones, including feature phones that will be sold in India, from January 1, 2018 so as to locate subscribers in emergency situations.
ICA, which represents majority of mobile phone companies in India, has written to the government to use A-GPS technology which can help in locating callers using mobile towers near their location.
DoT has said however that the method used for locating caller with help of mobile towers is not very accurate. It said that the GPS has been mandated in all mobile handsets “to ensure the safety and security of women which is of utmost importance”.
In a letter to the government last year, ICA had said feature phones retail for Rs 500-700 for which bill of material (BOM) used is to the tune of $ 5 (around Rs 330- 350). Adding GPS in such phones will increase the production cost to $ 9-11 per unit.
By Baishakhi Dutta
