The government has introduced a new emergency alert system called the Cell Broadcast System (CBS) to help keep citizens safe during disasters. Launched on Saturday, this system sends warnings directly to mobile phones in specific areas.
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced the system, which was developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) in partnership with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Home Minister Amit Shah was also involved in the project.
Scindia mentioned in a video that this system integrates technology with human resources to protect India’s 1.4 billion people. One of the important features of CBS is that it doesn’t rely on any phone databases; it works with all telecommunication service providers.
The CBS allows alerts to be sent to all phones in a specific area simultaneously. Unlike traditional SMS messages, which can be delayed, these alerts are delivered instantly, even in crowded networks. Users will see these messages pop up on their screens along with a loud sound, and for some devices, the alert can even be read aloud.
On the day of the launch, a nationwide test was conducted, and people received test messages around noon. The message stated: “India launches Cell Broadcast using indigenous technology for instant disaster alerting service for its citizens. Alert citizens, safe nation. No action is required by the public upon receipt of this message. This is a test message. – Government of India.”
The government had warned people earlier in the week that they would receive messages in multiple languages, including English and Hindi, and assured them that no action was needed. Some users received several test messages, particularly if their phones had alert settings enabled.
CBS builds on an existing system, the Integrated Alert System, which already sends disaster alerts through SMS. This platform uses the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and operates across all states and Union Territories, having sent over 134 billion messages in more than 19 Indian languages.
The introduction of CBS aims to address critical situations like earthquakes and tsunamis where timing is crucial, as delays in SMS delivery can have serious consequences.
The system can function on both 2G and 5G networks and is designed to reach everyone within a targeted area, even those who are roaming. Officials noted that alerts cannot be disabled during real emergencies.
The CBS can send messages in various languages and can be adjusted to cover small or large areas. Trials have already been successfully conducted in states like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Uttarakhand, and it has been utilized during events such as the Char Dham Yatra.
