GARI database incorporated into AMTA website

Following on from our successful integration of the GARI database into the AccessWireless.org site in the US, we have now partnered with our colleagues at the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) to include it on their website as well. You can access the Australian version of the GARI database via this link.

AccessWireless.org incorporates GARI

The annual CTIA Wireless conference is always an important event on the industry calendar. This year was no different, but what made it even more important this year was that we saw the launch of their redesigned AccessWireless.org site. AccessWireless is the CTIA's website to help people with disabilities, seniors and their families find accessible wireless products and services in the United States.

As part of the redesign, the MMF has been working with the CTIA to incorporate GARI into the site so that for the first time, consumers can "Find a Phone" by searching and comparing the accessibility features of a variety of wireless handsets, via GARI.

As we mentioned in the associated press release it is through partnerships such as this that we can expand awareness of the GARI project and assist more people to benefit from it. We hope to be able to continue developing such partnerships for the benefit of all.

GARI project endorsed by Britain’s Communications Consumer Panel report

A report published in January, on consumers’ views on how usable mobile phones are and how they could be improved, has many good things to say about the MMF's Global Accessibility Reporting Initiative (GARI).

The report, Making phones easier to use, produced by the Communications Consumer Panel in Britain - an expert panel that advises the regulator and government on consumer issues - focuses on the communications needs of older people in general and people with various special needs when it comes to using mobile phones.

In particular, the report is very supportive of the GARI project calling it “the most significant information initiative currently available...”, and  “we would strongly encourage other manufacturers to participate”.

The report echoes some of the findings that emerged from GARI’s own research, such as which individual features or groups of features help particular groups to use mobile phones more easily, such as people with visual or aural special needs, or with mobility or dexterity needs. But it makes the point that, while no individual phone can meet the needs of every group, there are improvements that can be made to benefit all users. This is certainly something that manufacturers are constantly striving for.

One broad area of potential improvement is visual – larger, clearer key symbols, and a better indication of which keys have been pressed, for instance. Software was also identified since it is a key element to making a mobile phone simpler and more intuitive to use.

A common theme among older users surveyed in the report is that shop assistants tend to be younger and have no problems understanding new phones’ different features, while that this is not always the case for older users. Therefore retail staff may not fully appreciate older customers’ need for help in choosing between different phone models.

One of the reasons that the GARI website was developed as an online resource was to help people learn about the various features available from the comfort of their own home where comparisons can be made and choices narrowed at ones own leisure. The retail experience is still important though, because one still needs to be able to see and feel a phone to make sure it is right. In many stores you can still try out a phone, something that is important to many people, but particularly for those with additional needs. Armed with the information obtained from the GARI database, and a visit perhaps during the quieter times of the day, where retail staff have more time to assist, should result in a much better experience. 

The MMF certainly welcomes the Consumer Panel report and will be looking closely at its various recommendations.

GARI launches in the UK

We were pleased to be able to formally launch the GARI project in the UK last week in conjunction with the Mobile Broadband Group, representing UK Operators, and Ofcom. The press release is available here, and a more detailed article is available from the Ofcom website.  The independent consumer advisory panel to Ofcom, the Communications Consumer Panel also issued a press statement that said:

“The launch of the GARI scheme in the UK has considerable potential to improve the information available about the accessibility features of mobile phones. This can only make it easier for consumers to find the most suitable mobile phone for their needs."

The Consumer Panel has just recently issued a new research report  Making mobiles easier to use on the issue of usability and accessibility which will we cover in a separate post.

What is the GARI project?

The title of this post is a question that I get asked quite often and so it seems fitting to answer it in our first post. In short, GARI stands for the Global Accessibility Reporting Initiative. It's a project designed to help consumers learn more about the various accessibility features of mobile (cell) phones and to help them identify phones with the features that may assist them with their particular needs. 


The project itself was developed in response to requests from consumer and advocacy groups for improved information regarding the accessibility of mobile phones. We continue to work with a number of groups in different countries to develop the project in line with the changing nature of the technology and to improve usability. We welcome the opportunity to work with other groups to gather feedback and to improve awareness of the site.


Since its initial launch the project has received widespread support from Governments and other stakeholders. Take for example the comments made in France when we launched the first version of our accessibility reports and then the joint comments by the Australian Minister for Communications and the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities when we launched the online database in Australia in 2010.


We currently have information on over 90 features of phones - any of which can make life that little bit easier - and about 300 phone models. If you want to stay updated on the latest additions to the database, learn more about new features and how they can help address particular needs or just get updates on how the project is going, then subscribe to the blog or come back and visit often - you'll always be welcome.