Now, women can recharge without revealing their mobile numbers

Only 28 per cent of women own mobile phones, compared to 43 per cent of men, according to international industry group GSMA. The reason for this disparity is primarily cost, but security and harassment is almost as big a barrier.

Recently in Uttar Pradesh, dealers were found to be selling women’s mobile numbers to men.

Dangers of this kind have prompted Idea Cellular and Vodafone to launch private recharge facilities aimed at women.

Speaking to

BusinessLine , Vamsi Madhav, Vice-President and Head of Product Management — Mobile Financial Solutions of Mahindra Comviva, which provided the technology, said this was an innovative service that would help bridge the gender gap and correct a “lose-lose” situation. The persecution deters women from owning and using mobile phones, and makes them dependent on male family members. Recharges have to wait till they find the time to help the woman, which hurts the industry as well in terms of revenues.

How it works To recharge privately, the customer has to send a toll-free SMS to a short code number, which generates a code that can be used for a limited number of hours. This code has to be shared with the retailer to complete the recharge.

The mobile number is not revealed to the latter. The code cannot be used to contact the user or to recharge another number, explains Vamsi Madhav.

Mahindra ComViva’s PreTUPS technology has been used to roll out similar facilities in Egypt and Bangladesh, where the gender divide in mobile usage is starker, he added.

Mohit Bhargava, Product Marketing - Manager, Mobile Financial Solutions, Mahindra Comviva, says Idea actually launched the facility in Kerala in August 2016, and even collaborated with the police’s cyber cell in Malappuram district to create awareness.

Other security features Vodafone launched private recharge last month in 10 circles as part of its Vodafone Sakhi plan. A spokesperson says another facility aimed at empowering women is the emergency calling feature. It is meant to enable seamless connectivity with 10 minutes of calling even with zero balance in the phone.

Sakhi is currently available in Dehradun, Saharanpur and Firozabad in UP and Uttarakhand. The offer prices start at ₹52, to cater to women from all socio-economic backgrounds.

In the UK, Vodafone has introduced TecSOS, which looks like an ordinary cellphone but is used only in an emergency.

When in danger, a woman can call emergency services with one press of the central button. They will know who is calling, her case history and approximate location, enabling them to respond quickly.