Chairman of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) – AIS is advancing in the creation of an emergency alert system through mobile phones using the Cell Broadcast Service. This system is designed to pinpoint specific areas affected by urgent and critical incidents immediately, connecting with the central command center of the government sector. The aim is to enhance the safety of the general public and tourists, particularly in the aftermath of violent incidents, shootings, and various natural disasters.
Clinical professor Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck, Chairman of the NBTC, along with Mr. Waroonthep Watcharaporn, Head of Business Relations AIS, jointly announced the success in developing an emergency alert system through mobile phones using the Cell Broadcast Service. The demonstration of the emergency alert system took place on March 5, 2024, at Meeting Room, 2nd floor, NBTC Office.
Clinical professor Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck, Chairman of the NBTC, stated that in the past year, Thailand has faced natural disasters and unexpected violent incidents, such as the shooting incident in a shopping mall, significantly impacting the safety of lives and properties of the public. As the regulatory body for telecommunications, the NBTC has collaborated with various relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), the Royal Thai Police, and mobile service providers continuously. This collaboration aimed to develop a location-specific emergency alert system, known as Cell Broadcast Service, with support from the Universal Service Obligation (USO) and Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund.
The mentioned location-specific emergency alert system involves sending direct warning messages from communication signal towers in the area to all mobile phones within that region. This system differs from regular SMS as it doesn’t require phone numbers, allowing for rapid and efficient communication of emergency information that covers the entire affected area. Importantly, the public doesn’t need to download any specific applications.
“The testing of the Cell Broadcast Service emergency alert system, initiated by the NBTC with AIS today, has yielded satisfactory results. It is ready to connect with the central government’s command center to serve as a tool or channel for swift and efficient disaster warnings. This standardized emergency alert system will provide reassurance to the Thai people, impacting economic confidence, tourism, and overall societal security in the future,” said the Chairman of the NBTC.
Mr. Waroonthep Watcharaporn, Head of Business Relations AIS, provided additional information, stating, “We have collaborated with the NBTC and the government in selecting technology suitable for the country’s emergency alert system according to international standards. This technology is known as Cell Broadcast Service, a direct messaging communication system to mobile phones of the public. This system is well-suited for emergency notifications as it can send messages to mobile phones in the coverage area of the respective base station simultaneously. The message is displayed on the mobile phone screen as a Near Real-Time Triggering Pop-Up Notification, enabling immediate awareness of the situation. The latest testing of this technology has successfully achieved its intended goals, and we are ready to expand its integration with the country’s emergency alert system efficiently going forward.”
The structure of implementing Cell Broadcast Service technology divides into two sides:
Side 1: Managed and overseen by the central command center of the government sector through Cell Broadcast Entities (CBE) system. This system is used to define content and delivery areas for messages, consisting of various functions such as system management (Administrator), message creation (Message Creator), and approval (Approver).
Side 2: Managed and overseen by Mobile Operators through the Cell Broadcast Center (CBC) system. This system is responsible for delivering message content to base stations according to specified areas, comprising system management and configuration, message deployment function, and network management.
