Emergency SMS Messaging

USA to get emergency SMS text message alert system - FCC to announce nationwide text alerts.
Have you ever thought that, for emergency alerts to be distributed as quickly as possible, they should be sent to cell phones? The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), along with other federal agencies, as well as state and local emergency personnel, is working to make that possible.
What is the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS)?
In response to the Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act passed by Congress in 2006, the FCC has established the CMAS to allow wireless service providers choosing to participate to send emergency alerts as text messages to their subscribers. During 2007 and 2008 the FCC proposed and then adopted the network structure, technical requirements, and operating procedures for the CMAS. While much work has been done, the exact date that CMAS will become operational depends on many factors, and is still probably at least two years in the future.
The CMAS network will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to accept and aggregate alerts from the President of the United States, the National Weather Service (NWS), and state and local emergency operations centers, and then send the alerts over a secure interface to participating wireless providers. These participating wireless providers will then distribute the alerts to their customers. Within ten months of FEMA making the government's design specifications for this secure interface available, wireless service providers that voluntarily choose to participate in CMAS must begin development and testing of systems that will enable them to receive alerts from FEMA and distribute them to their customers.
The FCC is also requiring public TV stations to act as an extra distribution system for CMAS alerts. Within 18 months of receiving funding from the Department of Commerce, all public TV stations must install equipment and technologies at their digital TV transmitters to enable them to receive CMAS alerts from FEMA and transmit them to participating wireless service providers.
How Will Wireless Service Providers Send Alerts?
Participating wireless service providers must be able to target alerts to individual counties, and ensure that alerts reach customers roaming outside a provider's service area. Participating providers must also transmit alerts with a dedicated vibration cadence and audio attention signal to ensure the alerts reach wireless customers with hearing or vision disabilities. Emergency alerts will not interrupt calls in progress. While the FCC currently is requiring only text-based alerts with a maximum displayable message size of 90 characters, CMAS may include audio and video alerts in the future. Similarly, the FCC currently is requiring that alerts be provided only in English, but is assessing whether foreign language alerts can also be provided.

Benefits of Emergency SMS Messaging

• A "ready" to use web-based application does not require any software or technical background
• Send multiple messages at once to many different recipients
• Categorize recipients in groups for easy sending messages
• Send and re-send pre-defined messages stored in your "message library"
• No setup fees or contracts to sign
• No hardware or software to buy - easy web interface

Features of Emergency SMS Messaging

• Instant messaging: Type your message once and forward it to hundreds or thousands in a matter of seconds
• Guaranteed to deliver the message to all recipients
• Secure and private
• Easy and cost efficient: Eliminates unnecessary paperwork and saves time, effort and money
• Recepit confirmation - Reciept confirmation is supported, and stored for reporting.

A wireless service provider deciding not to participate in CMAS, in whole or in part, must notify existing subscribers by an announcement amending the existing subscriber's service agreement. The announcement may be sent by any means that providers typically use to communicate with their subscribers, including direct mailing, bill insert, or other notification, and must contain the applicable language quoted above. Pre-paid customers can be sent a text message or SMS (short message service).
Wireless service providers had to notify the FCC by September 8, 2008, regarding whether or not they will participate in CMAS. If wireless service providers decide to participate in CMAS after this date, they must notify the FCC 30 days before offering the service to their customers. So far, most major wireless service providers have told the FCC they will participate, although some have indicated they may not be able to provide alerts to all customers immediately after CMAS starts operation. More smaller providers may decide to participate later when all technical issues are resolved and they can better determine their costs.
If, after notifying the FCC that it will participate, a wireless service provider decides not to send alerts, it must notify its subscribers and the FCC at least 60 days before withdrawing its decision to participate. Providers that withdraw from CMAS must allow their subscribers to terminate service without any payment of an early termination fee or other penalty. Withdrawing providers also must individually notify their subscribers of this right in clear and conspicuous language.