Mobile emergency alert test reaches only selected regions in AP

Vijayawada: A nationwide test of the Centre's mobile-based emergency alert system on Saturday saw limited reach in parts of Andhra Pradesh, with officials clarifying that the pilot was carried out in selected areas of the Amaravati capital region.The exercise, conducted by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in coordination with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), uses Cell Broadcast (CB) technology to send real-time alerts during disasters such as cyclones and floods. The alert, accompanied by a loud siren and vibration, is designed to reach multiple users simultaneously.Ch. Kishore, project manager at the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, said Andhra Pradesh was chosen for testing in the Amaravati region under a system based on the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) developed with support from C-DOT. "Cell Broadcast alerts are faster than SMS and can be delivered within seconds. The system is in the trial phase and gaps identified will be addressed," he said.He said some users in Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Tadepalli also received the alert, with many on BSNL networks reporting receipt, while efforts are underway to extend it across other service providers.It has been noted that Andhra Pradesh has been using mobile-based alert systems since 2017–19, initially through text messages, with siren-based alerts introduced in recent years during the Vijayawada flood.However, several users outside the test zone reported not receiving the alert. Malla Gnanesh, a software engineer from Visakhapatnam, said, "I receive weather alerts, but they often arrive after the event. I have not received this alert so far. The initiative is good, but it should work effectively."A teacher from Narsipatnam said she did not receive any alert. "I did not get any message. The system is useful, but it should reach everyone," she said.