June 2, 2015 – Ottawa-Gatineau – Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today congratulated the Canadian wireless industry for having developed specifications to deliver emergency alert messages affecting life and property to Canadians through their cellphones.
In the coming months, the wireless industry and emergency management community will test the technology and a public pilot project is planned for 2016. The new specifications will apply to mobile devices, as well as the interface between the national public alerting system and Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless networks. Mobile devices that support the specification will be able to receive and display emergency alert messages in English and French.
The specifications were developed by the Network Working Group under the CRTC’s Interconnection Steering Committee. The working group is an open forum that fosters collaboration among wireless service providers, federal, provincial and territorial alerting authorities, representatives from the national public alerting system and wireless equipment providers.
As of March 31, 2015, the vast majority of Canadians are able to receive alert messages through their radio and television services. Emergency alerts are issued by emergency management officials such as fire marshals, police officers and public health personnel. For example, alerts could be issued to warn Canadians of Amber Alerts, tornadoes, forest fires, floods, water contamination and industrial disasters.
With over 28 million wireless subscribers in Canada, the CRTC considers it critical that emergency alert messages be delivered to mobile devices, in addition to through the broadcasting system. The development of these standards moves the industry closer to this goal.
Jean-Pierre Blais, Chairman of the CRTC
Peter Menzies, Vice-Chairman of Telecommunications, CRTC
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