The CellCast Cell Broadcast Technology

Cell broadcast is a cellular-based public notification system, which instantly broadcasts a cell phone text alert or message to a large number of people specific to a geographical area. This area can range from the area covered by a single cell to the entire network. Because cell broadcast notification works by targeting specific cell areas, no knowledge of mobile telephone numbers is required - unlike bulk SMS messaging technology. Cell broadcast places a very low load on the network; a broadcast to every subscriber on the switch is equivalent to sending an individual SMS message to a single phone. Network loading issues can cause severe problems in emergency situations when network usage is likely to be very high; in these circumstances SMS messages can be delayed for hours or days – or even lost altogether.

Why Cell Broadcast?
Cell broadcast allows networks to immediately deliver requested content to 100 percent of its subscriber base 100 percent of the time, without sacrificing normal operation capacity. Under current network configurations, only 10 percent of a carrier subscriber base can be reached at any one time.

Is Cell Broadcast Industry Compliant?
CellCast's cell broadcast technology follows CAP protocol and is defined by the official standardization bodies such as GSM MoU, (GSM 03.49) UMTS, 3GPP/3GPP2 and IS95CDMA.

How does Cell Broadcast Work?
CellCast Technologies licenses authorized personnel to access the CellCast Gateway Broker (TM) and initiate delivery of a piece of content to a targeted area, defined on a digital map. CellCast Technologies installs a CellCast Gateway Broker (TM) in a number of Network Operating Centers (NOCs) in different physical locations around the earth.

Licensed and authorized personnel access the CellCast Gateway Broker (TM) and initiate a request to deliver content to a targeted area defined on the digital map. The CellCast Gateway Broker (TM) authenticates the user, verifies his/her level of authorization, and confirms that this message is permitted on the respective wireless carrier's network. If message delivery and content is authenticated, the alert message is delivered to all enabled handsets on the network.

Is Cell Broadcast Available Now?
On September 23rd, 2005 Einstein Wireless in Wisconsin successfully tested the Cell Broadcast capabilities offered by CellCast. Einstein Wireless has become the first wireless phone carrier in the nation to offer cellular Emergency Alert Service (EAS2) warnings to its customers and roaming subscribers over their cell phones. The new system greatly expands the reach and effectiveness of the 50-year-old emergency warning program currently provided by radio and television. Like the current program, the cellular EAS alerts are only issued by authorized government entities and will only be received by those handsets operating in the at-risk location.

Operational systems: South Korea, Holland, USA - Wisconsin.
Under development or study: USA - Gulf of Mexico states, USA - New York City, USA - Greater Houston and Texas area (Montgomery & Harris Counties), European Union, United Nations, DHS/FEMA’s IPAWS Program participating states, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Spain, and Peru.

What Does It Cost the End User?
Nothing. All content delivery is paid for by the sender.

Can Cell Broadcast Messages Be Answered?
For emergency notifications, cell broadcast messages should be “one way” to prevent congestion of the network. However, for commercial applications it is possible to include a “link” in the message, which can access a WAP-enabled Web site or initiate a voice call (such as to a hotel or taxi firm) or an SMS message.

Why Deploy Cell Broadcast Now?
Natural disasters like hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the 2004 tsunami, and man-made threats result in thousands of innocent people being put at risk every year. Imagine if cell broadcast became an integral part of every city's Amber Alert Program - regionalized alerts about missing children which are currently delivered via traditional radio and television broadcast media. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 74 percent of kidnapped children face their gravest danger within three hours of the abduction. Time is critical. With cell broadcast, information about the missing child could be instantly disseminated to cell phones in the affected area, quickly and efficiently offering a practical solution in times of crisis. In the future, cell broadcasting will be able to transmit pictures, further enhancing its utility.

What's Next?
CellCast is now seeking suitable partners and carriers to implement this technology. The groundbreaking humanitarian and commercial aspects of this opportunity are nothing short of phenomenal.

IT'S ABOUT TIME...