[EAS] Fwd: [ChicagolandSkywarn] WEA Enabled Phones to Receive Emergency Messages

[suzanne at mab.org]

Time for a reality check.  Remember that, under the enabling law (the so-called WARN Act), participation in CMAS/PLAN/WEA, or whatever they're calling it these days, is voluntary for both the cell companies and, if a company opts in, for its subscribers, who must also opt in.   If you go to this_page at the FCC's website, scroll to the bottom and click on the FCC Master PLAN Registry file, you'll note the following:
 
Of the 595 cell-phone companies that were required to file opt-in/opt-out elections with the FCC,
 
457 (76.8%) elected "NO," they won't carry alerts
 
24 (4%) elected to carry alerts "IN PART," meaning they will carry alerts in part of their service areas, but offer no guarantee that they will reach all areas.  "IN PART" elections include AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile.
 
99 (16.6%) elected "IN WHOLE," meaning they will carry alerts in all of their service areas
 
15 have WITHDRAWN, meaning they originally opted in but have now opted out.
 
Given all the conspiracy theories that hatched during the EAS National Test last year, it's likely that many cel phone subs will elect not to receive alerts, out of fear that Big Brother Is Watching and Obama Is Following Me Around.
 
As of today, the AT&T website is showing that the company is delivering alerts only in NYC, Wash.DC, and Portland, Oregon.  The website lists 3 (yes, only 3) smart phones that can receive the alerts.
 
So, for all the PR hype, CMAS/PLAN/WEA should not be viewed as a robust, reach-everyone-everywhere alerting solution.
 
--Suzanne Goucher
Maine Association of Broadcasters