November 2006

Nokia believes that universal access to mobile communications is the most effective way to bridge the digital divide, especially for users with cognitive, sensory, or physical limitations. While our hallmark is intuitive design and usability for all customers, we also have accessibility features that are specifically designed for people with disabilities, who form an often-marginalized target group.

Some of our current accessibility targets include:

Globally: To contribute to and support an emergency warning system for users with disabilities. Our ideas include SMS for deaf users, audio for blind users, and an icon-based system for illiterate users or those who require cognitive assistance.

Europe: We currently give our support to a universal access policy which is backed by financial support from mobile phone manufacturers and providers in order to decrease recurring costs of ownership. This is an ongoing target, as we firmly believe that accessibility in telecommunications is useless if it is not affordable.