• October 26, 2023

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As part of a thorough FCC effort to enhance emergency alerting, the FCC has launched an initiative aimed at helping the public receive Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) when cell towers are disabled during disasters. The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau wants to test the viability of delivering WEA using complementary technologies that can help fill in wireless coverage gaps.

The bureau is looking to work with partners that have solutions for delivering to mobile devices that are not connected to functioning cell towers, asking those interested to submit detailed information about their solution to the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System within 60 days, including:

• Whether it would work with mobile devices currently used by consumers?
• How to address issues with delivering geographically targeted alerts?
• How testing should be conducted?

“During disasters, it’s critical for the public to receive Wireless Emergency Alerts but delivery is limited when cell towers are disabled or destroyed,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “This initiative is the latest in our ongoing effort to strengthen the nation’s alerting systems, working closely with our government partners.”

The FCC recently adopted rules in October to enhance WEAs by making them available in 13 additional languages, supporting maps that show the location of an emergency, and providing the public with access to information about the availability of WEAs.

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Sources:

docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-397838A1.pdf

insidetowers.com/fcc-seeks-partners-to-test-back-up-wireless-alerts-during-cell-tower-outages/