Two companies are showing how digital radio broadcasts can carry enhanced emergency alerts by demonstrating that capability at the CES in Las Vegas. HD Radio provides an “ancillary capability for public alert and warning, public safety, campus emergency communications” and other purposes, SpectraRep and Sage Alerting Systems said Thursday. The FCC Wednesday tested the emergency alert broadcast and cable system in Alaska (CD Jan 7 p10).
It will take the FCC time to review results of an emergency alert system test in Alaska Wednesday, the agency said. “The results of this exercise will yield important information on where we need to improve the EAS system,” said Chief Jamie Barnett of the Public Safety Bureau. “We will need some time to analyze the results, but we intend to move quickly to improve the system. The FCC looks forward to working with FEMA, our other federal, state, tribal and local partners, as well as broadcasters and other EAS participants, as we use these results to improve future EAS exercises.”
The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions and Telecommunications Industry Association said they released a Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) specification. The standard defines the interface between CMAS and the federal alert gateway and the commercial mobile- service provider gateway. It will offer anyone with CMAS- capable mobile devices an additional way to receive alerts during emergencies. It also means wider proliferation of 90- character text message emergency alerts and warnings of imminent threats to life and property, Amber Alerts and presidential emergency messages. The alliance and the association said they will work closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, which have adopted the spec. The CMAS is an effort by the federal government and service providers to define a common mobile-alert standard.
Spectrum reallocation proposals floated by FCC broadband staffers would handicap broadcasters by preventing them from providing shows in HD as well as multicast programming and mobile TV, industry representatives told commissioners this week. The services “would be thwarted under various scenarios that would marginalize broadcasters’ spectrum resources,” said an ex parte filing on meetings between representatives of the CBS affiliates association and Commissioners Meredith Baker, Mignon Clyburn, Robert McDowell and an aide to Chairman Julius Genachowski. “Broadcasting plays a critical role in the nation’s wireless communications system. In virtually all markets, local television stations are the only source of local video news and emergency alerts.” Rural broadband could be “accommodated with proper engineering” and not hinder TV, representatives of the Association for Maximum Service Television told Commissioner Michael Copps, another ex parte filing said.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski opened the first meeting of the commission’s new Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) Monday, urging the group to take a hard look at communications best practices of networks “of all sizes and shapes.” Looking at ways to encourage better communications interoperability should also be an early goal of the group, Genachowski said.
The FCC and the Federal Emergency Management Agency Monday announced the adoption of design specifications for a gateway interface that will allow wireless carriers to send emergency alerts to their subscribers. The announcement starts a 28-month process for carriers that have elected to participate in the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) to develop, test and deploy a system to deliver mobile alerts to the public by 2012. “The adoption of the CMAS standard brings us even closer to making the nation’s next-generation of emergency alerts and warnings a reality,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “Our goal is simple, to give one message over more devices to more people for maximum safety.” FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said he applauds the effort. CTIA President Steve Largent said the announcement shows that public-private partnerships work: “The wireless industry, along with other interested stakeholders and government agencies, has been working feverishly in the WARN Act Advisory Committee and afterwards in the standards development process. We believe this service ultimately will protect America and save lives.” Most large carriers, including AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, Leap Wireless and MetroPCS, have indicated they plan to send alerts to subscribers once the system is complete.
Health care providers and the telecom industry urged changes to universal service rules, as the FCC collected comment Friday on how broadband helps health care delivery. Some urged more spectrum allocation and renewed calls for a national public safety wireless network. All said broadband is key to providing better health care.
GENEVA -- There’s little agreement about what capabilities and tools are needed for mobile alert broadcasting systems, among countries and standards bodies at this week’s meeting of an ITU-T study group. The U.S. in March floated a preliminary text defining service requirements, among proposals being considered this week. The U.K. wants 3GPP to reserve number resources to support the civil alerting. A draft recommendation on administering those resources will require agreement between countries.
The FCC canceled a fine against an FM station after the assessment drew criticism from all 50 state broadcaster associations as possibly deterring other stations from taking part in emergency alert system plans (CD Oct 19 p9). The Enforcement Bureau said it issued the order on KWVE(FM) San Clemente, Calif., at its own initiative. “We are mindful of the unique circumstances at issue, including the voluntary and critical nature of the service provided by local primary stations in enabling statewide EAS activity.” The station was ordered to submit a compliance plan for emergency alerts.
A late push by broadcasters to insert FM chipsets into cellphones (CD Nov 13 p11) threatens to derail efforts to develop an emergency alert system for wireless, CTIA warned the FCC in comments on the National Broadband Plan notice on public safety issues. CTIA said the Commercial Mobile Service Alerts Advisory Committee already considered and rejected using FM chipsets for emergency alerts. Public safety groups, meanwhile, offered some additional advice on how first responders may use a national wireless network if one is eventually put in place.