Firms mandated to make PwD-friendly phones

NEW DELHI: The Digital Communications Commission (DCC) on Thursday approved a series of measures to increase Information and Communications Technology (ICT) access to persons with disabilities (PwD), including a mandate for major mobile phone manufacturers to produce at least one model which satisfies the needs of PwDs.

“All mobile manufacturers who produce more than 5 models shall be mandated to make one model that satisfies the needs of persons with disabilities,” Telecom Secretary and DCC chairman Anshu Prakash said. While certain manufacturers might already be making such models, “now, they shall be mandated to do so,” he added, noting that there is unlikely to be any push back from companies on the new rule.