New way to gain weather warnings? or abuse your cell phone?

[Jim Saueressig]

You think abuse of the weather radio was bad? Now it comes to the cell phones as well. I am posting this here as it applies to weather alerts as well.

Link to full story

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Cell phone users will get text message alerts of emergencies under a new nationwide alert system approved late Wednesday by the Federal Communications Commission, according to FCC spokesman Robert Kenny.

Under the plan, the FCC will appoint a federal agency to create the messages and pass them on to cell phone companies that choose to participate, an FCC representative said earlier. Once that agency is named, the participating cell phone providers would have 10 months to comply with the new system's requirements.

"It is essential that we support and advance new ways to share critical, time-sensitive information with them in times of crisis," FCC chairman Kevin J. Martin said in a written statement.

Earlier, the FCC representative explained how the plan would work. Cell phone companies that voluntarily opt into the system would send text-based alert messages to subscribers in response to three types of events:

*A disaster that could jeopardize the health and safety of Americans, such as a terrorist attack; these would trigger a national alert from the president of the United States

*Imminent or ongoing threats such as hurricanes, tornadoes or earthquakes

*Child abductions or Amber alerts.

T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint Nextel and AT&T all stated that they would be likely to opt into the alert system if it is passed by the FCC.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

It matters if the mobile phone providers make this an OPT-IN, OPT-OUT, or required service. If it's an "opt-in" service, requiring subscribers to sign up the alerts, then I don't see anything wrong with it. I'm much less inclined to support it if it's an "opt-out" service, whereby all subscribers are signed up for the alerts automatically and must specifically opt out of it. I'm really against it being "required", in that alerts will be sent no matter what, with no way to avoid them. I really can't imagine the 3rd type would be implemented, or at least I hope it won't.

 

[David Draun]

I think this is very good, since I know a few deaf people who would benefit from this. My friend's T-mobile Sidekick is one of her main forms of electronic communication. Vibrating off a Tornado Warning to her phone is a good way to get the message across.

 

[Mike Peregrine]

FCC Creates Guidelines for Mobile Alert System

The FCC emergency broadcast modification will initially offer text messages to mobile subscribers for Amber alerts and to warn of imminent threats. Can forsee this as a useful addition for people who are outside their homes when severe weather poses an imminent danger, or on the road or something. Makes good sense.

 

[rdale]

Nice guidelines - but making users pay for it means nobody is going to do it...

 

[Brent Gilles]

I like this idea, it shows that the government is trying to keep up with the current trend of the cell phone becoming such a versatile piece of electronics.

I haven't read anything about this yet so some of this stuff might have been worked out already, but I already see some issues with it. First off, I'm worried that people would rely solely on this for weather warnings. I can already envision the day after a tornado in an area of poor cell coverage (which is a lot of places across the plains) the media interviewing a victim from their hospital bed because they didn't get the text message warning about the tornado in the middle of the night because the tornado (or downburst, large hail, etc...) took out the only cell tower in its range. Secondly, are people going to have to pay more for this service and if so how much is it going to cost? They'll also have to resolve, much like with the 911 issue, of figuring out where you and your phone are. It doesn't do you any good if they only send you warnings for where your home is.

I have no doubt that those issues can be worked out and I am also in favor of it being an "opt in" so you are forced into it or you don't have to call and cancel it. All in all I am in favor of it, but I don't think this should replace the push for weather radio's.

 

[Mike Peregrine]

I haven't seen anything about a paid subscription yet - - there may be some additional details somewhere else. This story indicates that the main problem is actually with ownership/administration of the program itself. It indicates that participating wireless carriers would simply transmit the alert signal to users within their broadcast areas.

 

[rdale]

Guess I read this part of your article to mean that users would pay:

"The Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) will be an optional system wireless carriers will be able to subscribe to. "

 

[Bart_Comstock]

Will the carriers charge their customers the ususal $0.10 per message that they do for other 3rd party message services? If so I can see where some people would turn this service down, however a lot of plans now offer free unlimited text messages, like mine does, and since texting is so popular a lot of people have near unlimited and thus I think this may be more successful than some think so long that the word is spread well about this offer.

 

[Tim Shriver]

To me, to some degree it is government pushing into the private sector. There are
several privately owned companies providing cell phone alerts. I am the owner
of such a company.

It is true that less then 7 percent of Americans have a weather radios while
over 85 percent have a cell phone. So it is a valid way of getting emergency information.
But as always having a backup source is vital. No one should depend
on a single source for such information.

But in my experience the private sector does a better job in most areas then
the government does.

As for cell phone carriers, most do not charge for incoming emails. If they do
you should find a new service provider.

Tim

 

[Shane Adams]

If it's mandatory, it should be free. If users get a choice, then I could care less...cause I don't need my cell phone going off every 4 minutes after dark for flash flood warnings. My first partner and I chased for KWTV-9 in 1997 and they did something like this with pagers that year, and it was maddening...by the end of that Spring we were ready to throw the damn thing out the window.

 

[Jim Saueressig]

Subscribers would be able to opt out of receiving the messages, according to the current plan

It seems to me that we will get them automatically unless we opt out and we will probably have to pay for them as well.

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

Will the carriers charge their customers the ususal $0.10 per message that they do for other 3rd party message services? If so I can see where some people would turn this service down, however a lot of plans now offer free unlimited text messages, like mine does, and since texting is so popular a lot of people have near unlimited and thus I think this may be more successful than some think so long that the word is spread well about this offer.

You have 1 New Text Message!

Inbox 1/1

FROM: EMERGENCY (911)

MASSIVE MISSILE ATTACK AGAINST UNITED STATES IS UNDERWAY. FIND IMMEDIATE SHELTER AND TUNE IN TO LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

"Damn stupid government! That message cost me a DIME!"

 

[Jim Saueressig]

"Damn stupid government! That message cost me a DIME!"

I think it is more likely the amber alerts that are a long ways from us that are going to annoy the most people. Well that and flood warnings when you live on the top of a hill....

 

[Jim Hunt]

Somewhat related but Delphi Automotive which makes OnStar and other products will be deploying weather radio with alerts in cars by 2010 models. They will work with the in car GPS naviagtion system to alert you wherever you happen to be at that moment.