Tom Barrister
Newbie
I was awakened the other night by a siren-like sound, similar to what I've heard during EAS tests or weather alerts on television. When I found out that it was my phone doing this, I wasn't particularly happy about it. I wasn't cheered up much when I checked the alert and found out that it was about a flash flood in an area 10 miles away. I did some research and am posting this for those who may do an internet search in the future and find it.
A bill was passed in April, enabling what is called Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), also known as the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) or the Personalized Local Alerting Network (PLAN), on all phones that will support it. Most providers are partcipating in distributing these alerts, although AT&T is currently only offering them to D.C., New York, and Portland (which is about what I'd expect from them).
As far as I know, all providers allow the user to disable most of these alerts.
To disable the alerts on most Android devices:
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1) Go into the Messages application.
2) Touch the Menu Key.
3) Touch Settings.
4) Touch Emergency Alerts.
5) Uncheck the alerts that you don't want to receive.
6) Touch the back key.
You can't opt out of Presidential Alerts without rooting your phone.
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Here is some information about the alerts:
There is no charge for these alerts.
The alerts appear as a sort of text message, along with a good bit of noise. However, it isn't a text message; it uses a different technology that avoids network congestion, so that the messages are immediately sent to your phone.
The alerts are pushed on a location basis: if the cell tower that's handling your call is in the area (the alerts are generally sent on a county-basis) the alert is pushed to, you will get the alert.
The types of alerts:
Presidential Alert: Used only in a national emergency. Hopefully, our President won't classify his possible falling behind in the polls as a national emergency and send us campaign ads in the wee hours of the morning.
Mike Gerber from the National Weather Service explained how the NWS categorizes Extreme and Severe Alerts:
Extreme Alert: Tsunami, Tornado, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Hurricane, Typhoon, and Extreme Wind (i.e. the strongest part of the hurricane) warnings.
Severe: Flash Flood and Dust Storm warnings.
In the event of the above two categories, the NWS will push an alert to FEMA, listing the county or counties that the alert applies to. All cell towers in those counties will then push the alerts to the phones. Since it's an all-or-nothing proposition, you may get a flash flood alert, even though you live on a hill 10 miles away from the flood-prone area.
Amber alerts are related to child abduction.
A bill was passed in April, enabling what is called Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), also known as the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) or the Personalized Local Alerting Network (PLAN), on all phones that will support it. Most providers are partcipating in distributing these alerts, although AT&T is currently only offering them to D.C., New York, and Portland (which is about what I'd expect from them).
As far as I know, all providers allow the user to disable most of these alerts.
To disable the alerts on most Android devices:
------
1) Go into the Messages application.
2) Touch the Menu Key.
3) Touch Settings.
4) Touch Emergency Alerts.
5) Uncheck the alerts that you don't want to receive.
6) Touch the back key.
You can't opt out of Presidential Alerts without rooting your phone.
-----
Here is some information about the alerts:
There is no charge for these alerts.
The alerts appear as a sort of text message, along with a good bit of noise. However, it isn't a text message; it uses a different technology that avoids network congestion, so that the messages are immediately sent to your phone.
The alerts are pushed on a location basis: if the cell tower that's handling your call is in the area (the alerts are generally sent on a county-basis) the alert is pushed to, you will get the alert.
The types of alerts:
Presidential Alert: Used only in a national emergency. Hopefully, our President won't classify his possible falling behind in the polls as a national emergency and send us campaign ads in the wee hours of the morning.
Mike Gerber from the National Weather Service explained how the NWS categorizes Extreme and Severe Alerts:
Extreme Alert: Tsunami, Tornado, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Hurricane, Typhoon, and Extreme Wind (i.e. the strongest part of the hurricane) warnings.
Severe: Flash Flood and Dust Storm warnings.
In the event of the above two categories, the NWS will push an alert to FEMA, listing the county or counties that the alert applies to. All cell towers in those counties will then push the alerts to the phones. Since it's an all-or-nothing proposition, you may get a flash flood alert, even though you live on a hill 10 miles away from the flood-prone area.
Amber alerts are related to child abduction.
