On February 6, 2025, the FCC announced that it will consider a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) regarding Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) at its February 2025 Open Meeting. WEAs are alerts delivered to mobile devices and provide warnings and instructions that can save lives, but sometimes can cause “alert fatigue” and consumer opt-out. In the Report and Order, the FCC would adopt rules to allow alert originators the option of sending “silent alerts” that do not trigger WEA’s audio attention signal or vibration cadence. Sending silent alerts would give alert originators more flexibility in sending alerts, for example, by sending alerts silently during an active shooter situation or for an AMBER Alert sent at night. The rule to be considered also would allow users, including people with disabilities, to override the silent alert and activate the vibration cadence to ensure that they know their device has received the message. The FCC will also consider adopting a requirement that any device marketed as a “WEA-capable mobile device” adheres to the full suite of current WEA capabilities, including the capability to receive silent alerts and override a silent alert to activate the vibration cadence.
In the FNPRM, the FCC proposes to seek comment on whether users of WEA-capable mobile devices should be allowed to further customize their receipt of WEA messages, for example, to silence the attention signal or vibration cadence, and what additional steps the FCC can take to reduce the rate at which wireless subscribers opt out of WEA.
The February 2025 Open Meeting is scheduled for 10:30 am ET on February 27, 2025, and will be held in the Commission Meeting Room, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. The FCC meeting is also streamed live with open captioning and American Sign Language at www.fcc.gov/live. Other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. In your request, please include a description of the needed accommodation and how you may be reached if we need more information. E-mail your request to fcc504@fcc.gov or call (202) 418-0530.
Link to the Announcement of the Agenda for the February 2025 Open Meeting:
URL: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-announces-tentative-agenda-february-open-meeting-10
Link to the Draft Seventh Report and Order and Eleventh Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking:
PDF: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-409409A1.pdf
Additional information about WEAs is available at https://www.fcc.gov/public-safety-and-homeland-security/policy-and-licensing-division/alerting/general/wireless. For further information regarding this agenda item, contact David Kirschner, Cybersecurity and Communications Reliability Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, at (202) 418-0695, or by email to David.Kirschner@fcc.gov. Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432-2275 (videophone).