PROJECT

Using walkie-talkies to connect coal miners in isolation with their families, by converting radio signals into voice calls.

BUSINESS CHALLENGE

The Indian mobile phone market is highly competitive. As one of the smaller players in this market, it was imperative for Motorola to make and impact and generate brand love by transforming the way people discover, share and connect with the world around them.

HUMAN PERSPECTIVE

Hundreds of thousands of coal miners in India work long, hazardous hours in the dark. And their families are in the dark too – unable to make simple check-in calls. Motorola Deep Connect assigns frequency-based IDs to walkie-talkies. These connect seamlessly to smartphones, allowing both incoming and outgoing calls.

LAB PROCESS

Motorola Deep Connect's deployment involved collaboration with coal mining authorities in Dhanbad, India. Infrastructure, including unique frequency modules, were installed underground, with surface receiving stations. The module itself was custom made using off-the-shelf components, assigning miners with a unique ID. Finally, training sessions ensured miners and families adapted smoothly.

OUTCOMES

The initiative cultivates a safer, more productive work environment and paves the way for similar technological interventions, inspiring transformative change on a broader scale. Over 1,200 miners made a call to their families on the first day of implementation and it even led to endorsement by leaders of the Indian Workers Union and the Ministry of Communications.