All mobile phones must have panic button by Jan 1, 2017, says Telecom DeptMumbai, Apr 26(AZINS) According to an order today by the Indian government, all mobile phones sold in the country, starting next year, will be required to incorporate a panic button for emergency calls.

In addition, all smartphones sold will be required to have a built-in GPS navigation system in place by January 1, 2018, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today.

"Technology is solely meant to make human life better and what better than using it for the security of women”, said Ravi Shankar Prasad in a statement to the press. “From January 1, 2017, no cell phone can be sold without a provision for a panic button and from January 1, 2018 mobile sets should have also GPS in-built."

The official notification, dated April 22, aside from specifying the panic button deadline, specifies that feature phones that can’t incorporate a separate button should be able to make emergency calls by pressing numeric keys 5 or 9. According to the order, the emergency call should activate by long-pressing the separate button (or the existing power button) or by short-clicking it three times.

To clarify, the order indicates even feature phones should have GPS tracking, though that’s currently a feature only available in smartphones.