What is ‘Cell Broadcasting’What is ‘Cell Broadcasting’andand

Why do I care, as a HAM?Why do I care, as a HAM?

ByByMark Wood G4HLZMark Wood G4HLZ

ForForGlobal Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications

conference,conference,Tampere, Finland 13-14 June 2005. Tampere, Finland 13-14 June 2005.

mark.wood@ceasa-int.orgmark.wood@ceasa-int.org

‘‘Cell Alert’ System Cell Alert’ System Via Cell Broadcast.Via Cell Broadcast.

ByByCellular Emergency Alert Service Association Cellular Emergency Alert Service Association

(CEASa) .(CEASa) .

CEASa is a not-for-profit Voluntary organization CEASa is a not-for-profit Voluntary organization which exists to further Humanitarian which exists to further Humanitarian applications of Cell Broadcasting for applications of Cell Broadcasting for

government-to-citizen mass alerting. government-to-citizen mass alerting.

mark.wood@ceasa-int.orgmark.wood@ceasa-int.org

Can we have a successful Can we have a successful Disaster?Disaster?

Disaster = Hazard X VulnerabilityDisaster = Hazard X Vulnerability

(International Federation of (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent)Red Cross and Red Crescent)

Covered in this Covered in this presentation;presentation;

• TechnologyTechnology

• Political issuesPolitical issues

• Amateur Radio channel 673 Amateur Radio channel 673

There are four main points to There are four main points to remember about Cell remember about Cell Broadcast.Broadcast.

• Uses the ‘Cell Broadcast’ (Area Information) Uses the ‘Cell Broadcast’ (Area Information) feature that most mobiles already have feature that most mobiles already have built in; no need to build anything.built in; no need to build anything.

• ‘‘Downlink-only’ true ‘Broadcast’ means No Downlink-only’ true ‘Broadcast’ means No limit to scale; can talk to hundreds of limit to scale; can talk to hundreds of millions at one time will not crash the millions at one time will not crash the networks.networks.

• Uses capacity not taken by calls, so is Uses capacity not taken by calls, so is immune to failure due to overloading as immune to failure due to overloading as always happens during disasters.always happens during disasters.

• We can target individual ‘cells’ (Towers) so We can target individual ‘cells’ (Towers) so it is geo-specific. You can tell one village to it is geo-specific. You can tell one village to evacuate and another to stay where they evacuate and another to stay where they are.are.

Advanced Broadcast Commander

Cell Broadcast Broker Server

Cel@lert DirectVia web browser

Network X

Cell Broadcast Centre

Cell@lert

Network Y

Cell@lert system Components

Cell Broadcast Centre

Cell BroadcastReporter

HTML

CAP

BMRP

BMSP

BMSP

The authority logs on to a web portal, and selects the geographical area where the broadcast will be sent

Then the text of the message and other details about the message are also proposed

BSS Network

BSC

RBS

A-bis

BSC

RBS

A-bis

Cell Broadcast CenterCBC Flooding

ExpectedIn next hour

Cell Data

Cell Planner

Cell Broadcasting by the Network

BMSP

FromCBBS

GSM 03.49

If the Broker sees that all policy has been followed, then it is reformatted and Signaled to each network in turn. It is then broadcast to all mobiles campedOn the affected cells, which then alarm and display the message.

Impact on NetworksImpact on Networks

• Is not affected by, or cause Is not affected by, or cause congestion, uses CBCCH congestion, uses CBCCH notnot TCH TCH (not using traffic channels). So it will (not using traffic channels). So it will work even in full overload situations work even in full overload situations such as disasters. such as disasters.

Impact on Impact on phonesphones

• To enable the feature, the user can To enable the feature, the user can switch it on from the ‘area switch it on from the ‘area information’ menu on his phone.information’ menu on his phone.

• Or it can be enabled by over-the-air-Or it can be enabled by over-the-air-activation-teleservice. activation-teleservice.

Impact on Impact on regulationregulation

• Urgent need for harmonized channel Urgent need for harmonized channel identification scheme to make it identification scheme to make it practical for travelers and tourists. practical for travelers and tourists.

• Improvements to standards needed Improvements to standards needed to make sure phones give priority to to make sure phones give priority to emergency messages. emergency messages.

Political Issues;Political Issues;

• Senders ( e.g. Police) must be authorized by Senders ( e.g. Police) must be authorized by national law. Messages must be authentic national law. Messages must be authentic and follow national policy. and follow national policy.

• Not acceptable for warnings only to Not acceptable for warnings only to subscribers on one network, must be allsubscribers on one network, must be all

• EU law requires accountability, accordingly EU law requires accountability, accordingly reporter system is part of solution. reporter system is part of solution.

• Government to Government communications Government to Government communications in order to reach closed user groups such as in order to reach closed user groups such as off duty reservists. off duty reservists.

Ham Radio;Ham Radio;

• Senders, e.g. coordinators need to have Senders, e.g. coordinators need to have previously arranged accounts.previously arranged accounts.

• The governments and networks must agree to The governments and networks must agree to this facility being made available to Ham radio, this facility being made available to Ham radio, and so MoUs must be provided to control this. and so MoUs must be provided to control this.

• Can be used for call out of volunteer operators. Can be used for call out of volunteer operators.

• Can be used to send to ad-hoc groups who will Can be used to send to ad-hoc groups who will not have an account on the national Broker not have an account on the national Broker system. system.

• Ham radio will therefore be an important Ham radio will therefore be an important resource in such situations. resource in such situations.

‘‘Cell@lert’ SystemCell@lert’ SystemByBy

CEASa. CEASa.

Mark.wood@ceasa-int.orgMark.wood@ceasa-int.org

The EndThe End