KOCHI: To ensure the safety of children and track their movements, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Magics, an NGO, on Wednesday launched a mobile phone for kids. A first of its kind in the country, the mobile phone has a GPS tracker and comes with no dial pad.
Dr Praveen G Pai, executive member of IMA Kochi, said the mobile phone addresses parents’ concern over their wards misusing mobile phones. “In most of the schools, mobile phones are banned. Mobile phones are a double-edged sword as they can be used for good and bad purposes. We are launching this phone on International Anti-Drug Abuse Day as mobile phones are used by school children to contact drug suppliers,” he said.
The phone will cost around Rs 5,000. It would be available through Magics. “There will not be any incoming and outgoing calls during class time. The phone does not feature a camera either. There will be 10 to 20 preset numbers from which they can receive calls. This phone has no internet connection, but can be tracked using GPS. The contact numbers are set using a computer or a laptop,” he said.
The main feature of the mobile phone is an SOS button on the rear side. With a long press, within five seconds, an emergency call will be sent to five contacts. These contact persons will also receive an SMS, including the location, where the emergency button was pressed.