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Emergency Broadcast System Coming To Cell Phones

Posted by samzenpus on from the set-your-emergency-to-vibrate dept.

gambit3 writes "The Emergency Broadcast System that interrupts TV programming in times of crisis is jumping to a new format where it might be able to reach you better — on your cell phone. The communications company Alcatel-Lucent announced Tuesday that it's creating a Broadcast Message Center that will allow government agencies to send cell phone users specific information in the event of a local, state or national emergency. It will be similar to the TV alerts in that the text messages will be geographically targeted for areas where a tornado alert or major road closure, for example, is in effect."

10 of 256 comments (clear)

  1. will you have to pay for incoming and roaming by Joe+The+Dragon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    will you have to pay for incoming texts? and maybe even roaming text fees as well?

    Will it still work if you have texts blocked? (as to not have to pay for incoming texts?)

    1. Re:will you have to pay for incoming and roaming by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I Really doubt it they'll charge you for it. If they can have Toll Free phone numbers I think they can manage toll free Text messages.

      And if you block texts, I suppose that'd be about the same as having your TV turned off - or not hooked up to any input.

    2. Re:will you have to pay for incoming and roaming by Amouth · · Score: 5, Insightful

      More than likely they aren't going to bother trying to send it to a number.. but rather have the towers in the effected area send out the broadcast message to all associated radios

      the ability to do this exists already - your phone would get it and accept it because text blocking is done at the exchange level not the phone (it could be done at the phone but 99.999% of the time it isn't)

      i'm sure wouldn't be billed because if they send it at a tower level and not exchange level their normal billing message counting system would not be in place and would have to be changed to support it - which i doubt would happen as this would be just yet another government mandated thing.

      while i like the idea - and i completely understand and agree with the need for something like this..

      i'm more concerned with it's use as security theater abuse (have it only send to radios in air ports? can we have some fun with that?)

      Also.. all the dumb asses on the road yapping on their phone - texting their friends - doing everything but driving..

      now just imagine.. your going down the road and EVERYONE - EVERYONE gets a message at the same time - and they all check their phones at the same time.. this could cause some serious accidents.

      --
      '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
    3. Re:will you have to pay for incoming and roaming by rwa2 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Oh, don't worry, you will pay for it.

      But instead of a nickel or a quarter per alert, it'll just come as another mandatory "911" fee on your monthly statement, for your convenience. You'll end up wishing they only charged you a quarter per alert ;-P But the government will negotiate the rate for you, so you will be guaranteed that it will be fair.

  2. You mean... by God'sDuck · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Reverse 911 is fantastic. Just ask our neighboring town to the south that didn't use it when their water supply was contaminated. Yeah. My coworkers spent two days in the bathroom instead of 10 seconds reading a text.

    1. Re:You mean... by Dynedain · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Tell that to our receptionists that had to go around and erase a voicemail in all our unused phone extensions (that have direct dial numbers) when the sheriff's department sent out a missing person call. Why this one person warranted reverse 911 in a major metropolitan area, I'll never know.

      I don't have a problem with reverse-911 in general, just the particular details as to when it's implemented. In California our expensive traffic indicator freeway signs were re-appropriated for abducted child "Amber Alerts", and more often than not, don't show traffic information any more. I can see other things slowly clamoring for the same access.

      Who gets to decide the announcement and radius?

      --
      I'm out of my mind right now, but feel free to leave a message.....
  3. Re:Uh, would someone care to explain... by will3477 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It might help if they didn't still use Emergency Broadcast System during the required weekly tests. If that's the name they use, I don't think its that outrageous to still call it that.

  4. Re:oh good, but then slippery slope by necro81 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Did you not see the part in the summar about "It will be similar to the TV alerts in that the text messages will be geographically targeted"? I suspect that they'll broadcast messages to those phones that are within reception of a given cell tower, not for cell numbers mapped to addresses in a given area.

  5. Re:This Could Be Cool by RapmasterT · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I want to be in a large, busy area like a crowded mall or a large outdoor event when one of these alerts gets sent out. For some reason, the thought of seeing almost everyone stop and reach for their cell phone at the same time just seems incredibly cool to me.

    How about when you're standing in the middle of a large outdoor event and 30,000 people all get a serious warning message all at once? Does panic stampede sounds as cool?

  6. Re:oh good, but then slippery slope by Satan+Dumpling · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Assuming they are for a reasonable range, maybe the Amber alerts will at least be more useful on cell phones. I find the ones on TV extremely annoying because I can guarantee no lost child is in my house in view of my tv.