Government of India starts pan-India testing of the Indigenous Cell Broadcast System for Rapid Disaster Alerts
Yesterday, we reported that several users in the Delhi region received “Extremely Severe Alerts” SMS messages on their phones. But there was nothing to worry about, as these alerts were part of the emergency alert system run by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
It has now been revealed that this ‘Test Message’ was a part of a newly developed Indigenous Cell Broadcast System run by the Government of India. Currently, pan-India testing of this system is underway.
Pan-testing of the Indigenous Cell Broadcast System
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India, is actively enhancing a mobile-based disaster communication system across the country to ensure the timely dissemination of critical information to all citizens.
NDMA has successfully operationalised the Integrated Alert System (SACHET), developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the premier R&D centre of the DoT. The system is based on the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), and is currently operational across all 36 States and Union Territories of India and delivers disaster and management-related alerts via SMS to mobile users within geo-targeted areas.
According to the press release issued by the government, to further strengthen alert dissemination in time-critical situations, such as tsunamis, earthquakes, lightning strikes, and man-made emergencies like gas leaks or chemical hazards, Cell Broadcast technology has been introduced alongside SMS. In a Cell Broadcast System, alerts are transmitted to all mobile devices within a defined geographic area simultaneously, ensuring near real-time delivery of the alerts.
As part of the pan-India rollout and the launch of the Cell Broadcast facility, nationwide testing and trials are currently being conducted to assess the system’s performance and reliability prior to its formal inauguration and dedication to the nation.
During this period, members of the public will receive test messages in English, Hindi and regional languages on their mobile devices. These ‘test messages’ will only be received on mobile devices with Cell Broadcast test channels enabled. Users can enable or disable alerts through the following menu path on their mobile devices: Settings> Safety and emergency> Wireless emergency alerts> Test alerts.
Recipients may receive multiple messages as part of the testing process, and since these messages are part of a planned nationwide testing exercise, they do not require any action by the recipients.
After the successful completion of this testing, the CB system will be used to disseminate alerts in multiple Indian languages across all mobile handsets, regardless of test channel settings, ensuring a wide and inclusive public reach during actual emergencies. DoT has requested the cooperation of the public during this important testing phase.
