Alert tag likely to fail again – SMS alert stuck

This year too, the nationwide warning day, which has meanwhile become a real laughing stock, may not go as planned. Because the focus should be on new cell broadcasts, which is not going.

The first warning day happened in September 2020 – with downright disastrous consequences. It was abandoned last year because it was already clear that not much had happened in practice since the dramatic situation was officially established. Meanwhile, a lot has improved, but the requirements have also changed. Because after the flood disaster last summer, which killed many people in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, cell broadcasting systems are now being used, which have long proven themselves in many other countries. Already happened.

Short film to warn the population

Instead of owning smartphone apps that rely on a working data network, only the SMS service’s broadcast function should be used here. Messages can still be sent through these even if mobile phone services are working only to a limited extent and the data connection is already completely overloaded.

updates are missing

As has now been shown, however, instructing mobile operators to install the required systems is not sufficient. Device manufacturers also require support for the service. And these are not yet anywhere near the position where their customers will actually be warned of disasters through the new system, reports business Week,

Because even though cell broadcasting is originally part of the specifications of the mobile radio standards, concrete implementation in the respective countries must be anchored in the relevant systems with the appropriate settings. For Android, the corresponding patch was installed by Google in versions 11 and 12. Apple wants him only in relation to the fall iOS 16 deliver.

“If we can get 60 percent of mobile phones in Germany to be alert in the medium term, that would be a good number,” the magazine quoted a source in the circle of mobile operators as saying. From today’s perspective, the warning day in September will certainly have no meaning. At present, discussions are taking place regarding the postponement.

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