[EAS] BLU Alert Comments.

[Ed Czarnecki]

The responses so far from the media sector have been rather slim.  See: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/filings?proceedings_name=15-94&sort=date_disseminated,DESC 

Voices calling for Blue Alerts with a new dedicated EAS code include APCO, the Department of Justice, the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council, the North Las Vegas Police Officers Association, a NJ state troopers fraternal association, and several individual filings.  Proponents provide no information about cost or operational impacts or measured benefits.  (p.s.- so far, noone has attempted to break out the portion of benefits for the general public - arguably the mission of EAS - vs. benefits solely for govt agencies - if that is a valid distinction).

Adrienne Abbott also voice support for using the LEW code rather than create a new code, and notes "hidden" costs, including those for alert originators, and the need to update state EAS plans.

Monroe Electronics also prefers the LEW code, but we caution that the LEW message will be uninformative if not received via CAP (which means we need to consider "triggered CAP polling," which also means the FCC needs to answer longstanding questions on things like "immediacy").  We also provide more detailed discussion of potential costs (even if intangible) to EAS Participants, EAS manufacturers and alert originators., 

OneMedia notes that much of the functionality discussed in the NPRM could be accommodated by ATSC 3.0 

Those questioning the Blue Alerts concept for EAS overall include Mike McCarthy.

On Mon, Jul 31, 2017 at 10:59 PM, Mike McCarthy <towers at mre.com> wrote:
>For anyone interested in reading a pragmatic contrarian view to all the
>law enforcement postings in support of the BLU Event Code, my comments
>have finally posted to the FCC ECFS web page.

>Suffice to say, I think the BLU Event Code is a bad idea....where no one
>wins and everyone looses.

>What no one seems to realize is the fact no one will ever differentiate
>between a BLU or any other alert except for those with proper OTA
>decoders.  Which there are none commonly available best I know.  Or is
>there an AP for that in smart-phone radios?

>Let alone BLU will likely never see the ether given it's proposed as
>discretionary.

>I sure hope others in the industry posted similar comments to offset the
>weight the COPS office, APCO and others are throwing around.  They just
>don't get it...

>MM

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