Dedicated channel
To the end user, Cell Broadcast resembles SMS very closely, but in terms of implementation it is far more practical.
The technology allows one message to be sent to many hundreds of thousands of devices, instantly. These messages are sent to all phones within reach of specific mobile telephone masts, making it a truly location-specific solution and one without the need to register or track devices, and so without privacy concerns. As an early warning alert comes in for a tsunami or earthquake in a specific geographic location therefore, operatives can send a message to everyone within that area instantly, whether locals or visitors, giving them the appropriate level of information to take action immediately.
In the aftermath of a disaster, Cell Broadcast can continue to offer governments and public safety agencies a useful communications channel. As the Haiti earthquake showed, telephone networks often survive earthquakes, but due to the huge amounts of traffic going over the voice and data channels they often fall over and cannot support voice and text messages. Cell Broadcast, however, has its own dedicated broadcast channel and would continue to function, allowing relief agencies to convey essential information to the public such as where food and medical relief can be found and whether they need to take shelter in advance of aftershocks.
Cell Broadcast is already garnering much interest from governments across the world, including Europe (EU-Alert) and the US (CMAS) as well as Japan. In Europe, where trials have already been successfully completed, the results have been hugely positive. The Dutch Ministry of the Interior is currently rolling out a public warning system based on Cell Broadcast technology following a very successful trial in Zeeland. The results of the trial were impressive, showing that the messages got through to between 72% and 88% of users across the course of the assessment. Between 80% and 94% of trial users said that Cell Broadcast was a useful addition to the use of sirens for public warning (the remaining users had their phones switched off when the messages came through).
Governments across Asia could benefit from experience gained by the developments in Japan, Europe and the United States. The requirement for advanced public warning systems is indisputably present in the Asia-Pacific region and the region would benefit greatly from the features enabled by Cell Broadcast. It is an elegant and cost effective method of alerting the public in the event of any disaster. Moreover, following a catastrophe, it provides a useful channel for providing the public with vital information with regards to health and wellbeing. It serves both as an early warning and also as a tool for coordinating and maximizing the effectiveness of relief efforts.
Maarten Mes is managing director of one2many