Federal Network Agency
Federal Network Agency
12/08/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/09/2021 03:37
Start of consultation on Technical Directive to implement Cell Broadcast for public warning messages
Year of issue2021
Date of issue2021.12.08
The Bundesnetzagentur has today launched a consultation on the draft Technical Directive pursuant to section 164a(5) of the German Telecommunications Act (), DE-Alert, on the implementation of Cell Broadcast.
"We're putting the technical rules for the implementation of Cell Broadcast out for consultation so that this additional warning system can be introduced in Germany quickly," said Jochen Homann, Bundesnetzagentur President.
"Together with the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (), the Federal Office for Information Security () and the mobile network operators, the Bundesnetzagentur has worked hard on the Technical Directive to present the draft for consultation soon after the entry into force of the legal bases. This draft takes appropriate account of the key requirements that the federal and state governments demanded for the potential uses of the Cell Broadcast warning system, security and reliability requirements, and the technical capabilities of the mobile networks."
Determination of technical details on the basis of the new and the Mobile Telecommunications Warning Ordinance
The legal conditions for the introduction of Cell Broadcasting were put in place on 1 December 2021 with the new and a Mobile Telecommunications Warning Ordinance (MWV). The Bundesnetzagentur is now presenting the draft setting out the details of the system in a Technical Directive.
The process involves associations representing mobile network operators and manufacturers, the , the representatives of the emergency response authorities and civil protection and disaster preparedness authorities named by the , and the .
The draft plus additional information on the procedure are available on the Bundesnetzagentur website at www.bundesnetzagentur.de/tr-de-alert.
Cell Broadcast as additional warning system
Following the disastrous flooding in July 2021, the Minister-Presidents of the federal states and the Federal Chancellor decided to introduce an additional warning system, Cell Broadcast, to the existing mix in the national modular warning system (MoWaS). Text messages transmitted to mobile phones using the Cell Broadcast service will join sirens, apps and broadcasting to better inform and protect the population in the event of a public emergency.
Responses to the draft Technical Directive may be submitted until 10 January 2021.