FCC Adds Additional Languages and Features to Wireless Emergency Alerts

The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to improve Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) by making WEA messages available in more than a dozen additional languages, including American Sign Language; adding increased functionality; and providing public information on where and how WEA is available. At present, WEA messages are available only in English or Spanish. In a new Order, the FCC required wireless providers that participate in WEA to support messages in the 13 most commonly spoken languages in the US as well as English and American Sign Language. Participating wireless providers are to support this expanded multilingual alerting by enabling mobile devices to display message templates that will be preinstalled and stored on the mobile device. The FCC directed its Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau to seek comment on various implementation details of the multilingual alerting requirements and future expansion to additional languages. In addition, to help personalize emergency alerts, the Order requires participating wireless providers to support the inclusion of maps in WEA messages that show the alert recipient’s location relative to the geographic area where the emergency is occurring. The Order also establishes a Commission-hosted database to provide the public with easy-to-access information on WEA availability.