[EAS] Multilingual support for CAP messages

[Sean Donelan]

On Tue, 29 Mar 2016, Rod Zeigler wrote:
> The wireless industry is not required to carry alerts. None, zero, zip,
> nada. Their lobby made this a condition of carrying any alerts.

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

Adding WEA to cellular systems generally cost $100,000 to several million 
dollars per mobile provider. Its a lot more complex system than typical
EAS installations.  I think its a safe bet WEA cost mobile providers more
than any EAS participant paid for an EAS box.

Approximately 100 mobile companies covering 97% of cellular subscribers
participate in WEA.  The remaining 3% of subscribers use approximately 450 
(small) mobile providers and pager companies. While mobile industry 
lobbyists worked hard to keep the burden to a minimum, just like broadcast
industry lobbyists and cable industry lobbyists, the major mobile
providers want other stuff (i.e. spectrum auctions) and knew they had
to participate in CMAS/WEA or face a lot of unpleasent meetings.

It was over 40 years before all broadcasters and cable systems were 
required to participate in EBS/EAS.  Low-powered/Class D broadcasters 
weren't required to participate in EAS until the last 10 years, and only 
need EAS decoders. DBS and Satellite radio was also added about 10 years
ago.  EAS participants don't need seperate warnings for each transmitter, 
repeater, translator, etc.  WEA requires geo-targeting by county, and
are being pushed to geo-target by tower sector (about 1-5 km).

Mobile providers must inform their customers if they do not participate 
in WEA at the point of sale (for every sale).  They must allow existing 
subscribers to cancel their contracts without penalty if the mobile
provider stops participating in WEA.

Mobile providers are required to have redundent connections to IPAWS. 
EAS participants only need to have a single internet connection.  Mobile 
providers also had work with consumer electronics industry to include WEA 
in new phones.  Broadcasters don't need to coordinate with radio or 
television vendors to support EAS.  Although that may change with
ATSC 3.0.

WEA participants are mandated to carry
   1. Presidential level
   2. Imminent threat to life and property
   3. Child abduction emergency (Amber alert)
   4. Tests (but not public)

EAS participants are mandated to carry
    1. Presidential level
    2. Tests

EAS participants don't need to tell the public or anyone else whether they 
will voluntarily carry optional alerts.

WEA only supports a single language (generally english), and 90 
character messages.

EAS only supports two-minute audio, with some coded headers (some EAS 
equipment has english and spanish code translations).  CAP adds more 
textual information, and multiple languages.  CAP has a lot of 
extensibility, but those capabilities aren't being used widely.