FCC Tightens Emergency Alert Messaging

The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday approved rules directing wireless carriers to improve the geographic targeting of their emergency communications. FCC commissioners voted unanimously to adopt the new regulations for carriers that participate in delivering Wireless Emergency Alerts. Under the approved rules, as of Nov. 30, 2019, alerts must be sent to wireless customers no more than one-tenth of a mile outside a target area specified by the alerting authority. Emergency messages must also remain available on devices for at least 24 hours following their initial receipt. In addition, the commission directed participating carriers to support Spanish-language alerts by May 2019 — the same as the deadline to support messages of 360 characters in length rather than the current 90.

FCC officials said the new rules will enable critical information to reach affected communities without disturbing broader populations.

https://www.wirelessweek.com/news/2018/01/fcc-tightens-emergency-alert-messaging