Communications Technology Group (CTG)

1. Communications Technology Group(CTG) Status Report to the Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee September 19, 2007 Brian K. Daly, CTG Leader

2. Status - CTG Issues Addressed • Recommendations for technologies and methods permitting the efficient transmission of messages to potentially the entire subscriber base of an operator – First reported in March: • The CTG has defined Service Profiles which prescribe the underlying delivery attributes • Text and future streaming audio, streaming video & multimedia • Text is the minimum requirement for CMAS • Goal has been to define service profiles and not specific delivery technologies • If an Operator elects to transmit alerts they should have the option to use any available technology that supports a given profile • Permit the distribution of alerts with the appropriate priorities as indicated by the AIG. • Messages will be delivered in the order received; prioritization and sequencing to be performed at the Alert Gateway

3. Status - CTG Issues Addressed • Recommendations on methods permitting the targeting of alerts to specific geographic regions or locales, thereby enabling use of this important emergency service by other alerting authorities, including state and local governments. • Geo-targeting will be on a county basis • More information later this briefing • Recommendations on handset and device technologies appropriate for alerting services – First reported in March. • Several draft conclusions have been presented • The needs of non-English subscribers as well as people with special needs, including people with disabilities and the elderly. • Provision has been made in the CMAS architecture to support multi-languages • C-Interface designed with language indicators and character encoding to support multiple languages • CMA message must be delivered to the CMSP in the language that it is to be delivered • A national plan for multiple languages needs to be developed by the government

4. Status - CTG Issues Addressed • To ensure that this critical emergency service continues to evolve with technology supporting it, the CTG should also consider recommendations permitting the incorporation of planned service improvements, such as expected multimedia and broadband services, into their CMS alerting capability – First reported in March. • Service profiles defined for future streaming audio, streaming video, and multimedia for future broadband multimedia networks • The CTG will develop recommendations to facilitate eventual alignment of the Advisory Committee’s recommendations with relevant standards organizations focused on the development of mobile communication standards to support its continued evolution and adaptation. • Standards recommendations will be provided after all technology recommendations are known

5. CTG Status • Completed CTG conclusions for all outstanding technical issues • Monthly multi-day face-to-face meetings with interim conference calls • Since July 1, held 16 multi-hour conference calls • Coordinating with the other working groups • Held joint meetings with the AIG, AGG and the UNG • CTG provided significant input into the 3rd draft of the CMAS Architecture & Recommendations document

6. CTG Statistics (Totals)

7. Geo-targeting • As previously reported, the minimum geo-targeted geography for CMAS alerts generally should be the county • Some wireless technology RF propagation areas, for systems such as paging systems or multi-county cell sites, may greatly exceed a single county • CMSP may elect to target smaller areas • CMSP may elect to target CMAM for distributions to predefined alert areas smaller than a county (e.g. city, metro areas) and may use GNIS codes, polygon, or circle information to identify a predefined list of cell sites / paging transceivers within the alert area • It is desired that more flexible geo-targeting to alert areas evolve as technology advances • CMSP should not be required to dynamically match alert geography to RF coverage areas due to technology limitations within the CMSP networks

8. Audio Attention Signal • Public is familiar with the “EAS” Alert Signal from Radio and Television • Two tone combination of 853Hz and 960Hz sine waves • Similar signal will be approximated on mobile devices • Polyphonic devices use two tone signal as above • Single tone (< 2.5 kHz) used for devices not capable of polyphonic tones • 8-10 second duration • Temporal pattern if device is capable • Approximately 2 seconds on, ½ second off, 1 second on, ½ second off, 1 second on repeated twice • Audio attention signal will not be available for any other use

9. Vibration Cadence • Vibration cadence for the CMAS alert signal should be noticeably different from the default cadence of the mobile device • Should be similar to the temporal pattern of the audio attention signal • Approximate the 2 second vibration followed by two 1-second vibrations with a ½ second gap between each

10. Battery Life • CTG analysis confirmed that battery life is a potential issue with cell broadcast • Each technology implements text broadcast messaging differently • Each technology is deployed with different hardware and software, as well as, different standards releases • The battery life impact of CMAS on a state of the art deployment of infrastructure and portable devices targeting optimized battery life could be as high as 40% or more • Confirming other industry reports

11. Battery Life (continued) • The impact to mobile device battery life can be managed by the CMSP through careful selection of the following parameters: • Initial system network parameters before implementation of broadcast messaging • Practical latency to deliver the message over the E interface • Retransmission interval • Number of times the portable device alerts the user • Factors outside the CMSP control impacting battery life include: • Number of languages supported • Number of alerts sent • Alert Duration

12. Battery Life (continued) • With modifications to network infrastructure, mobile devices and/or standards, and proper selection of the criteria on the previous slide, the reduction of battery life due monitoring the Cell Broadcast channel without sending alerts messages can be less than 10% of today’s capability • To design and deploy a system with the performance described above, modifications to the portable devices, network infrastructure and/or standards are required

13. Battery Life CTG Conclusions • Battery Life is dependent upon number of alert messages transmitted • Recommend that government Alert Aggregator support a policy of ensuring that the aggregate CMAM rate does not adversely impact mobile device battery life • The CMSPs should give consideration to modifications to network infrastructure, mobile devices and/or standards, and to the proper selection of the criteria on the previous slide, in order to limit the reduction of battery life

14. Protocol for the “C” reference point has been defined XML-based Mapping of message from CAP to “C” reference point to “E” reference point has been completed “C” Reference Point

15. “C” Reference Point

16. Summary • The CTG has successfully completed the task as defined in the initial CMSAAC meeting December 2006 • The CTG Chair wishes to thank each member of the CTG (and the CMSAAC) for their dedication and hard work.