Disaster alert: cell broadcast cell phone alert system is active

The mobile phone warning system Cell Broadcast is now available throughout Germany. It is designed to warn people of disasters with a loud sound. The reason for the introduction was the storm disaster in 2021.

According to information from the three German cell phone network operators, the cell broadcast warning system is active everywhere in Germany from today. Vodafone announced that the technology had been integrated into all 26,500 cellphone stations. Deutsche Telekom and Telefónica (O2) also gave the green light. Telefónica Deutschland boss Markus Haas says: “In an emergency, no other system can reach so many people in a hazardous area.”

Mobile phones receive a warning text via cell broadcast and play a shrill tone to warn of disasters in an emergency. With the system, messages such as radio signals are sent to all compatible devices that are dialed into a radio cell.

Loud shrilling even in silent or sleep mode

Cell broadcast is intended to supplement established warning devices such as radio announcements or sirens. No app needs to be installed, unlike, for example, NINA, the federal emergency information and news app. Cell phones will also beep when they are on mute. Cell broadcast does not work in flight mode because there is no contact with the cell phone network. This system is already being used in many European countries, for example to warn of forest fires or earthquakes.

Older cell phones are left out

Cell broadcast does not work on all cell phones. Older models will not receive a notification. With smartphones, it only works if the software is up to date. According to Vodafone, around a quarter of mobile devices are unable to receive cell broadcast. In addition, an estimated four percent of people in Germany do not have a mobile phone.

It is important to expand the circle of people who are to be reached as comprehensively as possible, said Felix Flosbach from the NRW consumer advice center. “In the case of digital solutions, particular attention must be paid to wide availability for a large number of devices.”

System improved since warning day

The system was tested for the first time on the nationwide warning day at the beginning of December. According to a Telekom spokesman, results were collected in order to further improve the system. The warning messages are triggered by the respective state authorities responsible for disasters.

The reason for the introduction of cell broadcast in Germany was the storm disaster in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate in the summer of 2021 with more than 180 deaths. The flood disaster had shown that the warning apps and classic sirens were not sufficient to warn the population of the danger across the board.

Protection against hacker attacks

Bundestag member Maik Außendorf (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) emphasizes how important it is to protect the system from misuse: “Should the system be hacked and a foreign power send out misleading messages, this could destabilize Germany in crisis situations.” Abuse is currently not foreseeable.