📋 Tender Overview
Since the end of February 2023, the Cell Broadcast warning channel has been available to the federal, state and local authorities as an additional warning channel. In Baden-Württemberg, ten warning messages have been issued about the channel so far.
“In the event of an impending danger or damage, it is crucial that we warn the population and give people recommendations for action. The first year since the introduction of Cell Broadcast has shown: With Cell Broadcast we can reach a large number of people easily and quickly directly via their cell phone: The cell phone rings very loudly and plays a warning message. At the same time, the authorities in Baden-Württemberg are using the new warning channel with great care,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Thomas Strobl .
So far ten warning messages in Baden-Württemberg
So far, ten warning messages about cell broadcast have been issued in Baden-Württemberg. The new warning device was used particularly in the event of fires and the discovery of World War II bombs.
Since the end of February 2023, the Cell Broadcast warning channel has been available to the federal, state and local authorities as an additional warning channel. Cell Broadcast is a service for sending messages to all users whose mobile devices are located in a specific section of the mobile network, a so-called radio cell. “The big advantage of cell broadcast is that almost every citizen now has a cell phone and can therefore potentially be the recipient of a cell broadcast message,” emphasized Interior Minister Strobl. “In order to reach the population in the event of an emergency in very different life situations - be it on the way to work, while doing sports or at home on the sofa - we rely on a warning mix and, in addition to cell broadcast, also use warning apps such as NINA or BIWAPP as well as the warning via radio and television stations, newspaper editorial offices or online services,” said the Interior Minister.
Advantages and limitations of the cell broadcast warning channel
The Cell Broadcast warning channel has the following advantages, among others:
Citizens do not need to download an app or register their cell phone number to use Cell Broadcast.
The sending of an alert via Cell Broadcast is not affected by an increased volume of mobile calls. Even if dial-in to a radio cell is not possible due to overbooking, this has no influence on the data transmission of a warning message via cell broadcast. According to the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, the warning message will be sent without delay.
Multilingual warnings are possible, currently in German and English.
Cell broadcast has the following limitations in particular:
In order to receive cell broadcast, an appropriate mobile phone device that meets the technical requirements must be used. To receive cell broadcast, the device must not be in flight mode or kept out of earshot.
In the event of disruptions or a power outage, Cell Broadcast is only available if the cell phone cells are also available on site.
Cell Broadcast has a character limit. In order to obtain more information about a dangerous situation, the affected citizens must use additional warning devices such as warning apps or radio and television.
What else needs to be taken into account with cell broadcast?
Regular updates of the operating systems of mobile devices are necessary to be able to receive cell broadcast warning messages.
In principle, the reception of cell broadcast warning messages can be individually suppressed depending on the mobile device and the respective software on the mobile device. However, warning messages with the highest warning level (warning level 1) cannot be suppressed in Cell Broadcast.
So far, no all-clear signal can be sent via cell broadcast.
Further information about Cell Broadcast and answers to the most frequently asked questions can be found on the website of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance . Among other things, an excerpt of a list of devices that can currently receive cell broadcast is also available there.
