Mobiles get emergency warning after telecom department launches cell broadcast alert system
India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), has launched and tested a new indigenous Cell Broadcast alert system for rapid disaster warnings. Mobile users across the country recently received test alerts like “Extremely Severe Alert,” causing some surprise, but these were part of nationwide trials with no action required.
The Cell Broadcast system sends geo-targeted emergency messages simultaneously to all mobiles in affected areas, bypassing network congestion unlike traditional SMS. Developed by C-DOT, it complements the existing SACHET platform, which has sent over 134 billion alerts in 19+ languages.
It follows the international Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) standard for reliable, multilingual warnings during events like tsunamis, earthquakes, or gas leaks.
Trials began recently, with tests on May 1-2, 2026, covering all 36 states and union territories; Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched it formally. Users may get multiple messages in English, Hindi, or regional languages during validation.
Enable test alerts via phone settings: Settings > Safety & Emergency > Wireless Emergency Alerts > Test Alerts. Real alerts will auto-deliver post-launch without needing this setting.
This enhances public safety by ensuring instant, area-specific notifications even in crises.
