UK operators shun mobile for the elderly

An Austrian manufacturer has unveiled a mobile phone aimed at the elderly and disabled in the UK, but has yet to find an operator to offer the device.

The Emporia Life handset features a large screen and display, oversized and easy to use buttons, and a super loud speaker and ring volume. 

The phone also has a powerful vibration alert to ensure that the owner knows when someone is calling.

An orange backlight is designed to help people with sight problems, and the device is compatible with digital hearing aids.

It also features an emergency button on the back of the phone which can be programmed to call up to five designated numbers for help.

"We are in discussion with a number of retailers, but the mobile networks find it hard to see where this kind of device fits within their brand," said Stewart Smith, managing director at Emporia Life UK distributor Communic8. 

"They are very much driven by the youth market or the business sector because that is where they make their revenue. It is difficult to see where a product like this would fit within their portfolio."

However Age Concern, a charity focused on the elderly, has accused the mobile industry of ageism. 

"The fact that high street stores are not interested in stocking a phone product specifically targeting older people shows an ageist approach to their potential customers," said Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern.

"These stores are missing out on a big, and growing, market if they do not cater to older people."

Communic8 officially launched the Emporia Life into the UK in conjunction with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) at the Sight Village Exhibition on 17 July. 

The phone is available directly from Communic8 or the RNIB for £169.99, which includes a Vodafone Pay as you Talk Sim card.