About us

PhoneAbility was formed in 1995 and became a Registered Charity (No. 1103003) in 2004. 

Its initial purpose was to act as an information gateway between disabled people and their representative organisations in the UK, and EU collaborations aimed at influencing the development of assistive technologies for disabled people, notably in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT). Chief amongst these was the EU Cost 219 project "Future telecommunications and teleinformatics facilities for disabled and elderly people".

Our objective is to promote accessibility to ICT to support the needs of older and disabled people.

PhoneAbility’s members are active advocates for accessible ICT:

• Supporting inclusivity
• Encouraging appropriate implementation for the benefit of older people and those with disabilities of all ages
• Being alert to global developments and their implications

In recent years, technological developments have blurred the boundaries between telecommunications, broadcasting and information technology. Accordingly, PhoneAbility has extended its scope beyond traditional telecommunications into ICT and broadcasting with a focus on accessibility and usability.

You can find out more about our history, the principles under which we operate and our members.