The Indian Government Initiates Nationwide Test of Emergency Alert System
Today, the Indian government conducted a comprehensive test of its emergency alert system, reaching smartphone users across the nation. The test message, which stated “emergency alert: severe,” was sent as part of the implementation of India’s new emergency alert system by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The randomly selected smartphones received the test message, resulting in a loud beep and a flash message displaying “emergency alert: severe.” The primary objective of this test is to assess the effectiveness of the alert system and identify any potential issues.
The Department of Telecommunication (C-DOT) was responsible for sending the test flash message to mobile users on various telecom operators in India. This message was transmitted between 12:00 PM and 12:44 PM IST via the Cell Broadcasting System. Recipients were informed that it was a test and that no immediate action was required.
The flash message received by numerous smartphone users conveyed the following information: “Emergency alert: SEVERE… This is a SAMPLE TESTING MESSAGE sent through Cell Broadcasting System by the Department of Telecommunication, Government of India. Please ignore this message as no action is required from your end. This message has been sent to test Pan-India Emergency Alert System being implemented by National Disaster Management Authority. It aims to enhance public safety and provide timely alerts during emergencies. Timestamp: 15-09-2023 12:19 PM #0888758.”
It is worth noting that a similar test message was sent to users a few weeks ago. The Department of Telecommunications Cell Broadcasting System plans to conduct periodic tests in various regions to evaluate mobile operators’ emergency warning broadcast capabilities and cell broadcast systems.
Regarding this testing initiative, Rajkumar Upadhyay, Chief Executive Officer of C-DOT, shared that the cell broadcast technology is currently sourced from a foreign vendor, but C-DOT is actively working on developing it internally. Upadhyay explained, “The cell broadcast technology is under development and will be utilized by NDMA to send alerts directly to mobile phone screens during disasters. It is currently undergoing testing on the Jio and BSNL networks.” He added that multiple versions of cell broadcast messages are in development for propagation through the telecom network.
