A capacitive keypad sensing apparatus , comprising: a keypad touch panel comprising a plurality of defined key areas; a plurality of capacitive key electrodes (A1-A4, B 1-B4, C0-C7, D0-D7, E0-E9) and a keypad sensing electrode , wherein the capacitive key electrodes are respectively aligned with the plurality of defined key areas and wherein the keypad sensing electrode is disposed within sensing proximity of the plurality of capacitive key electrodes to facilitate touch detection at the keypad touch panel; and a controller configured to: detect a predetermined signal characteristic at the keypad sensing electrode at each of a plurality of periodic scanning cycles (413, 511-513) by measuring a voltage from the keypad sensing electrode in a first sensing cycle to detect when any of the plurality of defined key areas is being touched; and in response to detecting said predetermined signal characteristic at the keypad sensing electrode, determine which of the plurality of defined key areas is being touched by sequentially scanning the plurality of capacitive key electrodes to identify which capacitive key electrode is aligned with a defined key area being touched; characterised in that detecting the predetermined signal characteristic at the keypad sensing electrode at each of the plurality of periodic scanning cycles further comprises measuring a baseline reference voltage from a different capacitive key electrode from the plurality of capacitive key electrodes in an additional second sensing cycle at each of the plurality of periodic scanning cycles. a keypad touch panel comprising a plurality of defined key areas; a plurality of capacitive key electrodes (A1-A4, B 1-B4, C0-C7, D0-D7, E0-E9) and a keypad sensing electrode , wherein the capacitive key electrodes are respectively aligned with the plurality of defined key areas and wherein the keypad sensing electrode is disposed within sensing proximity of the plurality of capacitive key electrodes to facilitate touch detection at the keypad touch panel; and a controller configured to: detect a predetermined signal characteristic at the keypad sensing electrode at each of a plurality of periodic scanning cycles (413, 511-513) by measuring a voltage from the keypad sensing electrode in a first sensing cycle to detect when any of the plurality of defined key areas is being touched; and in response to detecting said predetermined signal characteristic at the keypad sensing electrode, determine which of the plurality of defined key areas is being touched by sequentially scanning the plurality of capacitive key electrodes to identify which capacitive key electrode is aligned with a defined key area being touched; detect a predetermined signal characteristic at the keypad sensing electrode at each of a plurality of periodic scanning cycles (413, 511-513) by measuring a voltage from the keypad sensing electrode in a first sensing cycle to detect when any of the plurality of defined key areas is being touched; and in response to detecting said predetermined signal characteristic at the keypad sensing electrode, determine which of the plurality of defined key areas is being touched by sequentially scanning the plurality of capacitive key electrodes to identify which capacitive key electrode is aligned with a defined key area being touched; characterised in that detecting the predetermined signal characteristic at the keypad sensing electrode at each of the plurality of periodic scanning cycles further comprises measuring a baseline reference voltage from a different capacitive key electrode from the plurality of capacitive key electrodes in an additional second sensing cycle at each of the plurality of periodic scanning cycles. <EOS>