With extreme weather conditions affecting many Americans this summer, including devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma, destructive wildfires in Arizona, and flash flooding throughout the eastern part of the country, the FCC's Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system has been put to the test.
Also known as the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS), WEA alerts feature a unique tone designed to make mobile subscribers aware of potentially dangerous situations—and they appear to be working. For example, the system has been praised for its role in warning
Though not required to participate, operators continue to make this important program available to subscribers with WEA-capable devices. AT&T, for example, recently introduced the alerting capability to customers using the iPhone 4S and 5 via an over-the-air software update to iOS 6.1 or higher.
Wishing all of you a happy and safe Fourth of July!