We want to find ways to make mobile phones easier to use, particularly for customers who are elderly, deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired or have other disabilities. We call this accessibility.
Accessibility is usually associated with disability, but difficulty using devices such as mobile phones is more widespread. Our research on reducing preventable exclusion suggests that at least 9% of the EU adult population is excluded from using mobile phones. Vodafone views this as both a social and commercial challenge.
We offer specialised products and services to increase access to communications for customers who are:
- Blind or visually impaired such as text-to-speech software enabling blind people to listen to text messages
- Deaf or hard of hearing such as push-to-talk technology enabling deaf people to communicate in real time on their mobile phones.
Many people who do not have a serious disability still have difficulty using the full functionality of a mobile phone, handling a handset, pressing keys to operate and reading the screen. This difficulty is growing as phones become smaller and more complex, and leads to frustration. We have commissioned research on how to make mobile phones easier to use through inclusive handset design and simpler operating menus.
We also offer a range of other products and services that use mobile technology to bring social benefits in some markets for customers who are elderly or have special healthcare needs. For example, our social alarms enable greater independence for the elderly or infirm by connecting them to professional, medical or security help at the touch of a button. Our personal medical phones have built-in equipment to monitor medical conditions such as diabetes.
In addition to our own research and product development, we engage with regulators to develop policy that will improve access to communications services for people with disabilities. For example, Vodafone is engaging with the European Commission on emergency services access for deaf and disabled customers. We are also participating in the Commission’s e-inclusion initiative to develop an accessible communications service that would be compatible with existing technology across all media. See public policy.