Modernization of the Nation's Alerting Systems

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) begins a reexamination of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) from the ground up and seeks comment on whether fundamental changes could make these alerting systems more effective, efficient, and better able to serve the public's needs. EAS was introduced 31 years ago, and WEA was introduced 13 years ago, using the technology available at the time. The Commission seeks comment on what goals these alerting systems should aim to achieve, whether these systems are currently effective at achieving these goals, and what steps should be taken to modernize these systems to improve their usefulness and better leverage modern technology while minimizing burdens on stakeholders.