FEMA will test mobile ‘Presidential Alert’ on September 20th

Don't be surprised if your phone (and everybody else's) goes into a panic in the near future -- that's on purpose. FEMA and the FCC are conducting a national test of both the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts on September 20th sta...

Senate bill could bring emergency alerts to streaming services

You knew it was only a matter of time before legislators pressed for additional reforms to prevent another false missile alert like the one that rattled Hawaii. US Senators Brian Schatz and John Thune have introduced a bill, the READI Act (Reliable E...

FCC: Officer behind Hawaii false missle alert thought it was real

The FCC has published the preliminary findings of its investigation into Hawaii's false missile alert, and it suggests that the story didn't play out as you might have heard. Where initial reports claimed the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency office...

FCC investigates Hawaii’s false missile alert

It's not just state officials who are investigating Hawaii's false alarm over a (thankfully non-existent) missile attack. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has confirmed that the regulator's investigation into the error is "well underway." While Pai shied away...

False alarm: Emergency alert in Hawaii claims ‘missile inbound’

A few minutes ago, phones across Hawaii received the above emergency alert about a "ballistic missile threat inbound," but according to state officials it isn't true. US Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Hawaii's governer David Ige and the state's Hawaii Emergency...

Japan’s disaster alerts will work with all Android 8.1 phones

Japan gets a lot of natural disasters. Combine the threat of earthquakes, tsunamis and typhoons (however mild), and it's easy to see why the Japanese government offers alerts across TV, radio and your mobile phone. Those smartphone alerts were usuall...

FEMA and National Weather Service launch Wireless Emergency Alert System

FEMA and National Weather Service launch Wireless Emergency Alert System

While it's a little later than expected, the free SMS emergency notification system has now gone live. Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) messages will be delivered to cell towers in affected areas, which will then broadcast them to all compatible devices in their range. While the system is looking to cover over 97 percent of the country, it's being gradually rolled out across carriers. Sprint and Verizon are both apparently ready for action and while we haven't heard about the status of T-Mobile or AT&T, the National Weather Service has stated that hundreds of smaller carriers haven't yet enabled the broadcasts. However, not all phones -- especially the more elderly bricks still in circulation -- will work with the system. To check whether your weighty cellular still passes muster, hit up the compatible device list at the CTIA link below.

FEMA and National Weather Service launch Wireless Emergency Alert System originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 22:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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