Wireless Alert Messages and Verizon's response

[bradmatic]

A few days ago I e-mailed VZW about the new WEA messages that are being sent to certain handsets in DC and NYC alerting to threats to life and property (tornado, severe weather), AMBER alerts and Presidential Alerts. I was wondering when they would roll this program out to the entire US (per FCC/FEMA it's either end of spring or end of year).

Here's the response I received.

Good afternoon. I can understand your interest in being notified before a disaster occurs. My name is _redacted_ and I am eager to assist with this matter. Government and FEMA officials use WEA (Wireless Emergency Alerts) to send important safety alerts to wireless subscribers using broadcast messaging within targeted counties. Although you have your device set to the correct alert settings, you will not be notified at this time once it is available in your market. At this time, you must have one of the following devices to receive the automated message alert:

LG Revere
LG Enlighten
LG Cosoms 2
Motorola Citrus
Motorola Droid Pro
Motorola Droid Global
Motorola Droid X
Motorola Droid X 2


We are unable to determine if more devices will be released in the future to receive the automated message alert. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

The most interesting part of this message is they say "We are unable to determine if more devices will be released in the future to receive the automated message alert."

This is a federally mandated program, right? All future handsets must receive these message.

 

[andr01d]

Yeah that's strange huh? Shouldn't it be... any phone in the last 10 or 12 years can receive a text or equivalent message??
bye.