Emergency Cell Broadcasts: What Are They, Why They Happen, When They Occur, and Who Do They Affect

By Kasim Sheerazi

(Photo credits: Wikimedia commons, Linares Garcia 2020)

Emergency cell broadcasts allow governments and authorized agencies to send urgent

alerts through mobile phones within a specific geographic area. Unlike SMS or app-based

notifications, these messages are delivered directly via cell towers to all compatible devices

within the vicinity, ensuring rapid spread without the need for the users to require any cellular

service registered or internet, making sure that the reach is as widespread as possible and as

quick as possible without any network clogging (GSMA 2023; FCC 2021).

The primary goal of emergency cell broadcasts is to warn the public during critical

situations such as natural disasters, terror threats, chemical spills, infrastructure failures, and

even air quality is far below the preferable threshold in an area. With the increasing

frequency of natural disasters due to the ever-changing climate such as floods, earthquakes, and wildfires, many countries have adopted or upgraded to these systems and have already phased-out outdated alert mechanisms such as air raid sirens or radio announcements.

Alerts can also be used for other pressing matters such as serial kidnappings, homicides, and an increase in criminal activity, and as mentioned earlier, air quality index factory spills, and other such events that disrupt public health and safety (GSMA 2023; FEMA 2025).

These broadcasts are not limited to real emergencies alone. Governments often schedule

nationwide test alerts, and other such mock-tests, to evaluate system readiness and educate the public on what to expect. For example, the United States conducted a test of its Wireless

Emergency Alerts (WEA) system on October 4, 2023, coordinated by the Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Tests are usually accompanied by official announcements to avoid confusion and panic, and they help ensure the system works across various mobile devices and networks (FEMA 2023). Thailand has also begun testing a new emergency cell alert system based on cell technology which was scheduled to broadcast on May 2, 2025, on any mobile carrier system for now. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) is carrying these tests out, likely in response to the lack of an emergency broadcast during the earthquake incident that took place on March 28, 2025 that affected and shook the city of Bangkok and the nation (Bangkok Post 2025; Channel News Asia 2025).

During the March 28, 2025 earthquake that had spread throughout northern and

central Thailand, emergency cell broadcast alerts were not sent to the public which led to

significant public criticism and highlighted the need for an effective emergency alert system. In

response, the Thai government decided to accelerate the development and testing of a nationwideCell Broadcast System (CBS) (Thailand Info 2025; Channel News Asia 2025).

The DDPM, in collaboration with major mobile network operators, conducted preliminary tests in April 2025 and has scheduled public tests for May 2, 7, and 13, 2025. These tests are aimed at ensuring that emergency alerts can be delivered rapidly through mobile phones across the country (Pattaya News 2025).

The CBS is designed to send alerts directly to mobile devices within a specific

geographic area, providing information during emergencies ASAP. The system supports both

Android and iOS platforms and deliver messages in Thai and English so that everyone can be

notified, including tourists and individuals who do not know Thai but are residing within the

nation (Globe News Thailand 2025).

Overall emergency alerts affect a wide range of individuals. Anyone in the

designated broadcast area with a compatible phone from residents, tourists, or travelers

passing through will receive the message. The system is also designed to be inclusive and

shouldn’t be incomprehensible to people from differing backgrounds, cultures, and

disabilities. Alerts also come with distinct tones and vibration patterns for those with hearing or

vision impairments (GSMA 2023).