ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
JOINT ATIS/TIA CMAS MOBILE DEVICE BEHAVIOR SPECIFICATION
Secretariat
Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions
Approved Month DD, YYYY
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
FOREWORD
The Alliance for Telecommunication Industry Solutions (ATIS) serves the public through improved understanding between
carriers, customers, and manufacturers. The [COMMITTEE NAME] Committee [INSERT MISSION]. [INSERT SCOPE].
Suggestions for improvement of this document are welcome. They should be sent to the Alliance for Telecommunications
Industry Solutions, [COMMITTEE NAME] Secretariat, 1200 G Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005.
At the time it approved this document, [COMMITTEE NAME], which is responsible for the development of this Standard,
had the following members:
[COMMITTEE LIST]
The [SUBCOMMITTEE NAME] Subcommittee was responsible for the development of this document.
REVISION HISTORY
Date
Version
Description
Author
1/28/08
0.1
Initial document skeleton based upon
contributions WTSC-G3GSN-2008-002R1
and WSTC-G3GSN-2008-004.
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
2/15/08
0.2
Incorporated real-time Live Meeting based
modifications from joint ATIS/TIA conference
call of 13 February 2008
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
Incorporated contribution WTSC-G3GSN-20080025
3/4/08
0.3
Converted version 0.2 to ATIS specification
template.
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
3/24/08
0.4
Incorporation of the following contribution from
the March 19th & 20th, 2008 meeting in
Phoenix:
WTSC-G3GSN-2008-0054R1
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
As editor, added acronyms for CMAC& CMAM.
4/16/2008
0.5
Incorporation of accepted change from the Live
Meeting of the April 11th 2008 conference call
to split item #1 of section 6.3 into two
separate requirements with an additional
Editor’s note.
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
As editor, changed definition of CMAS acronym
from service to system to align with definition
in the FCC First CMAS Report & Order,
5/8/08
0.6
Incorporation of the following contributions from
the May 8th, 2008 conference call:
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-080R1
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-084
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-085
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-086R1
ii
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
Date
Version
Description
Author
5/27/08
0.7
Incorporation of the following contributions from
the May 23rd, 2008 conference call:
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-077R2
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-089R1
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-092
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
As editor, made the following editorial changes:
- Corrected style of references
- Corrected font size for bullet items
6/13/08
0.8
Restructured specification according to
contribution WTSC-JCMAS-2008-106R1
which was accepted on June 13th 2008
conference call.
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
Incorporation of the following contributions from
the June 13th 2008 conference call:
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-100R1
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-110R1
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-104
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-105
As editor, made the following editorial changes:
- Added missing reference for WARN Act to
Section 2 Normative References
- Added missing reference for FIPS 6-4
- Added missing reference to OASIS CAP
spec
- Added missing cross references to
documents listed in Section 2 Normative
References
6/26/08
0.9
Incorporated contribution WTSC-JCMAS-2008114R1 from the June 25th conference call.
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
7/29/08
0.10
Incorporation of the following contributions from
the July 28th 2008 conference call:
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-115R1
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-166R2
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-168R1
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
8/7/08
0.11
Incorporation of the following contributions from
the August 6th, 2008 meeting:
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-116R2
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-149R2
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-156R1
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-160R1
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-167R1
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-173R1
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-174R1
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
As editor, made the following editorial changes:
- Correction to the document history for
revision 0.10
- Added FCC Second Report & Order to
Section 2 Normative References
- Added editor’s note after item a of section
7.2, per editor assignment
- Corrected miscellaneous typographical
errors
iii
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
Date
Version
Description
Author
8/20/08
0.12
Incorporation of the following contributions from
the August 20th, 2008 conf call:
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-190
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-191R1
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
As editor, made the following editorial changes:
- Deleted editor’s note from Section 7.2, item
a, per editor assignment
9/9/08
0.13
Incorporation of V&V comments from the Joint
ATIS/TIA conference call of August 9th 2008
including the following accepted
contributions:
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-201
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-202R1
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-203R1
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
11/8/08
0.14
Incorporation of accepted ballot review
comments from the Joint ATIS/TIA
conference call of November 6th & 7th as
documented in the ballot resolution report in
WTSC-JCMAS-2008-237.
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
1/21/09
0.15
Incorporated the single editorial comment from
the Joint ATIS/TIA conference call of January
21st 2009 which was accepted from
contribution WTSC-JCMAS-2009-004
DeWayne Sennett
(AT&T) (editor)
iv
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD .......................................................................................................................................................... II
REVISION HISTORY ........................................................................................................................................... II
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................................ V
TABLE OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................................................... VI
TABLE OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................ VI
1 SCOPE, PURPOSE, & APPLICATION ...........................................................................................................1
1.1 SCOPE ..............................................................................................................................................................1
1.2 PURPOSE ..........................................................................................................................................................1
1.3 APPLICATION ...................................................................................................................................................1
2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES ..........................................................................................................................1
3 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, & ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................2
3.1 DEFINITIONS ....................................................................................................................................................2
3.2 ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................................................3
4 WARN ACT .........................................................................................................................................................4
4.1 KEY WARN ACT REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................................4
5 FCC REPORT & ORDER .................................................................................................................................5
5.1 REFERENCE DIAGRAM .....................................................................................................................................6
6 ASSUMPTIONS ..................................................................................................................................................7
7 MANDATED MOBILE DEVICE REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................7
7.1 COMMON AUDIO ATTENTION SIGNAL.............................................................................................................7
7.2 COMMON VIBRATION CADENCE .....................................................................................................................8
8 GENERAL MOBILE DEVICE REQUIREMENTS........................................................................................9
8.1 PREEMPTION OF VOICE AND DATA CALLS ....................................................................................................10
8.2 CMAS PRIORITY OVER OTHER MOBILE DEVICE FUNCTIONS .......................................................................11
8.3 MOBILE DEVICE SUPPORT OF REQUIRED MONTHLY TEST (RMT) ...............................................................12
9 FEATURE INTERACTION ............................................................................................................................13
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
9.6
9.7
9.8
9.9
RECEPTION WHILE MOBILE DEVICE BUSY ...................................................................................................13
CMAS MESSAGE INITIATION OF OTHER FUNCTIONS ON MOBILE DEVICE...................................................13
BEHAVIOR WHEN CMAS ALERT RECEIVED AFTER SMS/MMS ..................................................................14
BEHAVIOR WHEN CMAS ALERT RECEIVED AFTER NON-CMAS BROADCAST MESSAGE ...........................14
BEHAVIOR WHEN SMS/MMS RECEIVED AFTER CMAS ALERT ..................................................................14
BEHAVIOR WHEN NON-CMAS BROADCAST MESSAGE RECEIVED AFTER CMAS ALERT ..........................14
BEHAVIOR WHEN INCOMING PHONE CALL RECEIVED AFTER CMAS ALERT ..............................................14
BEHAVIOR WHEN VOICE MAIL NOTIFICATION RECEIVED AFTER CMAS ALERT ........................................15
BEHAVIOR FOR MULTIPLE CMAS ALERTS ...................................................................................................15
10 CMAS CONFIGURATION OPTIONS.........................................................................................................15
10.1 CMAS ALERT OPT-OUT OPTIONS ...............................................................................................................15
10.2 CMAS AUDIO ATTENTION SIGNAL OPTIONS ..............................................................................................17
10.3 CMAS VIBRATION CADENCE OPTIONS.......................................................................................................17
v
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
11 CONSIDERATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.....................................................18
ANNEX A USE CASES (INFORMATIVE) ......................................................................................................18
A.1 USE CASE #1 – CMAS CONFIGURATION ......................................................................................................19
A.2 USE CASE #2 – CANCELLED ALERT..............................................................................................................19
A.3 USE CASE #3 – UPDATED ALERT ..................................................................................................................20
TABLE OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1: CMAS REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE ..........................................................................................................6
FIGURE 2: TEMPORAL PATTERN OF COMMON AUDIO ATTENTION SIGNAL ...............................................................8
FIGURE 3: TEMPORAL PATTERN OF COMMON VIBRATION CADENCE ........................................................................9
FIGURE 4: ILLUSTRATIVE CMAS OPTIONS MENU ...................................................................................................17
TABLE OF TABLES
TABLE 1: CMAS - IMMINENT THREAT MESSAGE CATEGORIZATION ......................................................................16
vi
ATIS STANDARD
ATIS-0x0000x
ATIS Standard on –
JOINT ATIS/TIA CMAS MOBILE DEVICE BEHAVIOR
SPECIFICATION
1 SCOPE, PURPOSE, & APPLICATION
This specification is a joint specification between the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry
Solutions (ATIS) and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA).
1.1 Scope
One of the objectives of the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) is to define a set of requirements
for the behavior of the mobile devices whenever a CMAS emergency alert is received. This
specification defines a common set of requirements for GSM, UMTS, and CDMA based mobile devices.
Implementation of the requirements contained within this specification is mobile device manufacturer
dependent.
Even though the scope of CMAS includes paging systems, the behavior of paging devices for CMAS
alert messages is not contained within this specification.
1.2 Purpose
The purpose of this specification is to define the common set of requirements for GSM, UMTS, and
CDMA based mobile devices behavior whenever a CMAS alert message is received and processed. A
common set of requirements will allow for a consistent user experience regardless of the associated
wireless technology of the mobile device. Additionally, this common set of requirements will allow the
various local, state, and Federal level government agencies to develop subscriber CMAS educational
information that is independent of the wireless technology.
1.3 Application
This specification focuses on the mobile device behavior associated with the receipt and processing of
the CMAS alert messages on CMAS compliant mobile devices.
2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES
The following standards contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions
of this ATIS and TIA Standard. At the time of publication, the editions indicated were valid. All
standards are subject to revision, and parties to agreements based on this ATIS and TIA Standard are
encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the standards
indicated below.
1
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
[Ref 1] FCC 08-99, Federal Communications Commission First Report and Order In the Matter of The
Commercial Mobile Alert System; April 9, 2008.1
[Ref 2] Common Alerting Protocol, v. 1.1; OASIS Standard CAP-V1.1; October 2005.2
[Ref 3] Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 6-4, Counties and Equivalent Entities of the
United States, its Possessions and Associated Areas; National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST);
August 1990. 3
[Ref 4] WARN Act, Security and Accountability For Every Port Act of 2006 (SAFE Port Act), Pub.L. 109-347,
Title VI-Commercial Mobile Service Alerts (WARN Act);4
[Ref 5] Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), Docket 07-287; December 14, 2007.1
[Ref 6] Title 47 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 225, Telecommunications services for hearing-impaired
and speech-impaired individuals.4
[Ref 7] FCC 08-164, Federal Communications Commission Second Report and Order and Further Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking In the Matter of The Commercial Mobile Alert System; July 8, 2008.1
[Ref 8] FCC 08-184, Federal Communications Commission Third Report and Order and Further Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking In the Matter of The Commercial Mobile Alert System; August 7, 2008.1
3 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, & ABBREVIATIONS
3.1 Definitions
The following definitions are taken from the FCC First Report and Order for the Commercial Mobile
Alert System [Ref 1]:
3.1.1 Alert Message. An Alert Message is a message that is intended to provide the recipient
information regarding an emergency, and that meets the requirements for transmission by a
Participating Commercial Mobile Service Provider as defined in the FCC First Report and Order for the
Commercial Mobile Alert System.
3.1.2 Common Alerting Protocol. The Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) refers to Organization for
the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) Standard CAP-V1.1, October 2005 [Ref
2] (available at http://www.oasis-open.org/specs/index.php#capv1.1), or any subsequent version of
CAP adopted by OASIS and implemented by the CMAS.
3.1.3 Commercial Mobile Alert System. The Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) refers to the
voluntary emergency alerting system defined in the FCC First Report and Order, whereby Commercial
Mobile Service Providers (CMSPs or CMS Providers) may elect to transmit Alert Messages to the
public.
1
This document is available from the Federal Communications Commission. <http://www.fcc.gov/>
This document is available from the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS).
<http://www.oasis-open.org/specs/index.php>
2
3
This document is available from the National Institute of Technology and Standards (NIST). <http://www.nist.gov/aes>
4
This document is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office <http://www.gpo.gov/>
2
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
3.1.4 Commercial Mobile Service Provider. A Commercial Mobile Service Provider (CMSP or CMS
Provider) is an FCC licensee providing commercial mobile service as defined in section 332 (d)(1) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 332(d)(1)). Section 332(d)(1) defines the term commercial
mobile service as any mobile service (as defined in 47 U.S.C. 153) that is provided for profit and makes
interconnected service available (a) to the public or (b) to such classes of eligible users as to be
effectively available to a substantial portion of the public, as specified by regulation by the Federal
Communications Commission.
3.1.5 County and County Equivalent. The terms County and County Equivalent are defined by
Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 6-4 [Ref 3], which provides the names and codes that
represent the counties and other entities treated as equivalent legal and/or statistical subdivisions of
the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the possessions and freely associated areas of the United
States. Counties are considered to be the “first-order subdivisions” of each State and statistically
equivalent entity, regardless of their local designations (county, parish, borough, etc.). Thus, the
following entities are considered to be equivalent to counties for legal and/or statistical purposes: The
parishes of Louisiana; the boroughs and census areas of Alaska; the District of Columbia; the
independent cities of Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia; that part of Yellowstone National
Park in Montana; and various entities in the possessions and associated areas. The FIPS codes and FIPS
code documentation are available online at http://www.itl.nist.gov/fipspubs/index.htm .
3.1.6 Participating Commercial Mobile Service Provider. A Participating Commercial Mobile Service
Provider (or a Participating CMS Provider) is a Commercial Mobile Service Provider that has
voluntarily elected to transmit Alert Messages.
3.2 Acronyms & Abbreviations
AMBER
America’s Missing Broadcast Emergency Response
ATIS
Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions
CMAC
Commercial Mobile Alert for C Interface
CMAM
Commercial Mobile Alert Message
CMAS
Commercial Mobile Alert System
CMSAAC
Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee
CMSP
Commercial Mobile Service Provider
EOC
Emergency Operations Center
FCC
Federal Communications Commission
FIPS
Federal Information Processing Standards
NPRM
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
RMT
Required Monthly Test
TIA
Telecommunications Industry Association
URL
Uniform Resource Locator
WARN
Warning, Alert, & Response Network
XML
eXtensible Markup Language
3
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
4 WARN ACT
The Commercial Mobile Alert Service was initiated as part of the Security and Accountability For Every
Port Act of 2006 (SAFE Port Act), the Warning Alert and Response Network (WARN) Act5 [Ref 4],
which was passed by Congress in September 2006 and was signed into law by President George W.
Bush on October 13, 2006.
Within the WARN Act, Congress defined Commercial Mobile Service Providers (CMSPs) as “any
licensee providing commercial mobile service (as defined in section 332(d)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934
(47 U.S.C. 332(d)(1))).”6
This section identifies the requirements for Commercial Mobile Alert Service from the WARN Act.
Note that some of these requirements may be superseded by FCC rules (see Section 5 FCC Report &
Order).
4.1 Key WARN Act Requirements
The requirements stated below are taken from WARN Act [Ref 4] and the reader should assume that
term “commercial mobile service operators” and “commercial mobile service licensee” are
synonymous with the term “commercial mobile service provider (CMSP)” defined in Section 3
Definitions, Acronyms, & Abbreviations.
1. Transmission of emergency alerts via commercial mobile service is voluntary.
a. Commercial mobile service operators may voluntarily elect to transmit emergency alerts.7
2. A commercial mobile service operator who elects to transmit emergency alerts agrees to do so in a
manner consistent with the technical standards, protocols, procedures, and other technical
requirements implemented by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).8
3. A commercial mobile service operator who elects to transmit emergency alerts can elect to transmit
the emergency alert services in whole or in part.9.
a. NOTE: The Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee (CMSAAC) interpreted the
definition of “in whole or in part” to be “all or a subset of the mobile operator’s service area
and/or all or a subset of current and future mobile devices supported by the mobile operator
network”.
4. A commercial mobile service operator who elects in whole or in part NOT to transmit emergency
alerts:
a. Must provide clear and conspicuous notice at point-of-sale of any devices with which its
commercial mobile service is included, that it will not transmit such alerts via the service it
provides for the device.10
Security and Accountability For Every Port Act of 2006 (SAFE Port Act), Pub.L. 109-347, Title VI-Commercial Mobile Service
Alerts (WARN Act)
5
6
WARN Act § 602(b)(1)(A)
7
WARN Act § 602(a)
8
WARN Act § 602(b)(2)(B)(ii)
9
WARN Act § 602(b)(1)(B)
10
WARN Act § 602(b)(1)(B)
4
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
b. Must provide notification of this decision to its existing subscribers.11
c. Shall not by itself provide a basis for liability against the provider (including its officers,
directors, employees, vendors, and agents).12
5. Commercial mobile service licensee may not impose a separate or additional charge for such
transmission or capability.13
6. Any commercial mobile service licensee electing to transmit emergency alerts may offer subscribers
the capability of preventing the subscriber’s device from receiving such alerts, or classes of such
alerts, other than an alert issued by the President.14
a. Based upon the above WARN Act requirement, the Commercial Mobile Alert Service is
considered to be an opt-out by the subscribers with the initial default configuration being that
all emergency alerts are enabled.
7. Commercial mobile service providers who elect to transmit emergency alerts may transmit in
languages in addition to English to the extent practical and feasible.15
8. Any commercial mobile service provider that transmits emergency alerts and meets it obligations
shall not be liable to any subscriber to, or user of, such person’s service or equipment for
a. Any act or omission related to or any harm resulting from the transmission of, or failure to
transmit, an emergency alert.16
b. The release to a government agency or entity, public safety, fire service, law enforcement
official, emergency medical service, or emergency facility of subscriber information used in
connection with delivering such an alert.17
5 FCC REPORT & ORDER
The FCC released the “First Report and Order” for the Commercial Mobile Alert System on April 9,
2008 [Ref 1]. This First Report and Order adopts the rules necessary to enable CMS alerting capability
for CMS providers who elect to transmit emergency alerts to their subscribers, adopted the architecture
for the CMAS (see Section 5.1 Reference Diagram), and concluded that a Federal Government entity
should aggregate, authenticate, and transmit alerts over the Reference Point “C” interface to the CMS
providers.
In addition, the First Report and Order adopts technologically neutral rules governing:

CMS provider-controlled elements within the CMAS architecture (e.g., the CMS Provider
Gateway, CMS Provider infrastructure and mobile devices);

Emergency alert formatting, classes, and elements: Participating CMS Providers must transmit
11
WARN Act § 602(b)(1)(C)
12
WARN Act § 602(e)(2)
13
WARN Act § 602(b)(2)(C)
14
WARN Act § 602(b)(2)(E) and § 603(c)(5)
15
WARN Act § 602(c)(4)
16
WARN Act § 602(e)(1)(A)
17
WARN Act § 602(e)(1)(B)
5
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
three classes of alerts - Presidential, Imminent Threat, and AMBER alerts;

Geographic targeting (geo-targeting): Participating CMS Providers generally are required to
target alerts at the county-level as recommended by the CMSAAC;

Accessibility for people with disabilities and the elderly: Participating CMS Providers must
include an audio attention signal and vibration cadence on CMAS-capable handsets;

Multi-language Alerting: Participating CMS Providers will not be required at this time to
transmit alerts in languages other than English;

Availability of CMAS alerts while roaming: Subscribers receiving services pursuant to a
roaming agreement will receive alert messages on the roamed upon network if the operator of
the roamed upon network is a Participating CMS provider and the subscriber's mobile device is
configured for and technically capable of receiving alert messages from the roamed upon
network;

Preemption of calls in progress: CMAS alerts may not preempt a voice or data session in
progress;
The First Report and Order specifies rules governing those sections of the CMAS architecture that are
within the control of electing CMS providers. These include the CMS Provider Gateway, CMS
provider infrastructure, and CMS provider handsets. The rules require each individual CMS Provider
Gateway to be able to receive alerts from the Federal government alert gateway over a secure interface
(i.e., Reference Point “C” Interface).
5.1 Reference Diagram
The following is the functional reference model diagram from Section III.B.10 of the FCC First Report
and Order for the Commercial Mobile Alert System, FCC 08-99 [Ref 1]:
A
Proposed Government Administered
Federal
Agencies
B
C
CMSP Gateway
D
CMSP
Infrastructure
Alert
Aggregator
Alert
Gateway
Local EOC
State EOC
E
Mobile Device
Figure 1: CMAS Reference Architecture
6
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
6 ASSUMPTIONS
The following assumptions apply to the support of CMAS services on mobile devices:
1. The CMSPs are not required to support CMAS on legacy or non-CMAS compliant devices. Thus the
behavior of such mobile devices with respect to CMAS alerts is outside the scope of this
specification.
2. This specification only covers CMAS functionality of the mobile device. All other mobile device
functions such as registration, authentication, etc. are outside the scope of this specification.
3. Since the over-the-air CMAS delivery mechanism is through a best-effort message broadcasting
system, the delivery of any CMAS message at a certain time and place is not guaranteed.
7 MANDATED MOBILE DEVICE REQUIREMENTS
The following are the requirements on the mobile device from the FCC First Report and Order [Ref 1]:
1. CMAS mobile device functionality is dependent on the capabilities of a Participating CMS
Provider’s delivery technologies. Mobile devices are required to perform the following functions:
a. Authentication of interactions with CMSP infrastructure. Specifications for this requirement are
dependent on the air interface technology and thus are outside the scope of this specification.
b. Monitoring for Alert Messages. Specifications for this requirement are dependent on the air
interface technology and thus are outside the scope of this specification.
c. Maintaining subscriber alert opt-out selections, if any.
d. Maintaining subscriber alert language preferences18, if any.
e. Extraction of alert content in English or the subscriber’s preferred language18, if applicable.
f.
Presentation of alert content to the device, consistent with subscriber opt-out selections.
Presidential Alerts must always be presented.
g. Detection and suppression of presentation of duplicate alerts.
2. CMAS capable mobile devices shall not enable an Alert Message to preempt an active voice or data
session.
7.1 Common Audio Attention Signal
The following are the requirements on the common audio attention signal from the FCC First Report
and Order [Ref 1]:
1. A CMAS mobile device shall include an audio attention signal that meets the requirements of this
section:
a. The audio attention signal must have a temporal pattern of one long tone of two (2) seconds,
followed by two short tones of one (1) second each, with a half (0.5) second interval between
each tone. The entire sequence must be repeated twice with a half (0.5) second interval between
each repetition.
18
The FCC First Report & Order [Ref 1] only mandates the support of CMAS alerts in English.
7
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
Note of clarification: The duration of the audio attention signal is 10.5 seconds and contains two
occurrences of the audio attention signal temporal pattern. The following figure is an
informative illustration for the temporal pattern of the common audio attention signal:
5 sec
5.5 sec
2 sec
1 sec
1 sec
2 sec
1 sec
1 sec
Tone
Tone
Tone
Tone
Tone
Tone
1/2 sec
1/2 sec
1/2 sec
1/2 sec
1/2 sec
10.5 sec
Complete sequence of Audio Attention Signal
Figure 2: Temporal Pattern of Common Audio Attention Signal
b. For devices that have polyphonic capabilities, the audio attention signal must consist of the
fundamental frequencies of 853 Hz and 960 Hz transmitted simultaneously.
c. For devices with only a monophonic capability, the audio attention signal must be 960 Hz.
d. The audio attention signal must be restricted to use for Alert Messages under CMAS.
e. A device may include the capability to mute the audio attention signal (see Section 10.2 CMAS
Audio Attention Signal Options).
7.2 Common Vibration Cadence
The following are the requirements on the common vibration cadence from the FCC First Report and
Order [Ref 1]:
1. A CMAS mobile device shall include a vibration cadence capability that meets the requirements of
this section:
a. The vibration cadence must have a temporal pattern of one long vibration of two (2) seconds,
followed by two short vibrations of one (1) second each, with a half (0.5) second interval
between each vibration. The entire sequence must be repeated twice with a half (0.5) second
interval between each repetition.
Note of clarification: The duration of the vibration cadence is 10.5 seconds and contains two
occurrences of the vibration cadence temporal pattern. The following figure is an informative
illustration for the temporal pattern of the common vibration cadence:
8
ATIS-TIA-J-STD-100
5 sec
5.5 sec
2 sec
1 sec
1 sec
2 sec
1 sec
1 sec
Vibration
Vibration
Vibration
Vibration
Vibration
Vibration
1/2 sec
1/2 sec
1/2 sec
1/2 sec
1/2 sec
10.5 sec
Complete sequence of Vibration Cadence
Figure 3: Temporal Pattern of Common Vibration Cadence
b. The vibration cadence must be restricted to use for Alert Messages under CMAS.
c. A device may include the capability to mute the vibration cadence (see Section 10.3 CMAS
Vibration Cadence Options).
8 GENERAL MOBILE DEVICE REQUIREMENTS
The CMSP and the mobile device vendors shall have the flexibility in the design and implementation of
mobile devices in order to take the maximum advantages of advances in mobile device technologies
and to account for the evolution of mobile devices and the capabilities of the future.
This section contains the general guidelines and requirements for the functions to be performed by the
mobile device:
1. If both the CMAS audio attention signal and vibration cadence alert modes are enabled, the
temporal patterns of the two modes do not need to be synchronized.
2. The presentation of the received CMAS alert message should take priority over other mobile device
functions. (See Section 8.2 CMAS Priority over Other Mobile Device Functions)
3. The CMAS alert message shall not preempt an active voice or data session. (See Section 8.1
Preemption of Voice and Data Calls)
4. The presentation of CMAS alert messages to the subscriber on the mobile device should be such
that the CMAS alert message are distinguishable from any other types of textual messages received
by the mobile device subject to mobile device capabilities.
a. Color cannot be a required method for distinguishing CMAS alert messages from other types of
text messages on the mobile device since all mobile devices do not have color display
capabilities.
b. Since some individuals may have color blindness, thus color should not be used as the sole
method for conveying alert information and should not be used as the sole indicator to
distinguish CMAS alert message from other messages.
5. It is desirable to have the CMAS displayable message text prominently presented on the mobile
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device consistent with user settings for presentation of incoming phone calls and SMS messages
(including the illumination of the visual display) without user interaction when the CMAS alert
message is received.
6. A duplicate CMAS alert message which was previously presented to the subscriber may be represented to the subscriber following a power-on of the mobile device. The non-volatile storage of
the CMAS alert message identification on mobile devices is an implementation option.
7. There shall be no requirement for language translation in the mobile device.
8. Mobile devices shall not support any user interface capabilities to forward received CMAS alerts, to
reply to received CMAS alerts, or to copy and paste CMAS alert contents.
9. The need to scroll or manipulate the mobile device to review the received CMAS alert message
should be minimized.
10. The subscriber should not be required to remember or to use a unique command to turn off the
notification of the CMAS alert message. A familiar command, consistent with the other commands
used for call or message handling on the mobile device, is recommended.
11. Mobile devices should have the ability to recall alert messages for review by the subscriber.
12. The mobile device should use fonts for the display of the CMAS alert message that are easily
readable and decorative fonts should be available. The goal in the selection of the font is for easily
recognizable character especially for individuals with vision impairments. Examples of easily
readable fonts would be Roman, Sans Serif, and Arial.
13. If technically feasible, the mobile device display should provide a high contrast display and should
provide adjustable font size.
14. The mobile device may provide a unique indicator that identifies a stored CMAS alert message.
a. This CMAS alert message indicator would allow a user the ability to immediately recognize a
previously received or stored CMAS alert message.
8.1 Preemption of Voice and Data Calls
The FCC in the First Report & Order [Ref 1] stated that it would be contrary to the public interest if
alert messages were to preempt certain active voice or data sessions. During a crisis, such as a terrorist
attack, many individuals will be seeking emergency aid related to the actual event and other
emergencies. In either circumstance, the public would be ill served if their calls for urgent aid were
summarily preempted. During emergencies, it is anticipated subscribers will use their mobile devices
to call loved ones, to call for help (e.g., 9-1-1), to report on what they are seeing, or to obtain further
instructions. This may typically be a circuit switched voice call, but may also include a VoIP call or
other data session.
The Rule from the FCC Report & Order [Ref 1] is as follows:

Devices marketed for public use under the FCC Part 10 CMAS Rules must not enable an Alert
Message to preempt an active voice or data session.
This Rule is further clarified with the following requirements:
1. The process of receiving, alerting, or presentation of a CMAS message on a mobile device shall not
prevent the capability of a subscriber to initiate, receive, or disconnect a voice call or data session.
2. The process of receiving, alerting, or presentation of a CMAS message on a mobile device shall not
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terminate or replace a voice call or active data session (whereby the mobile station is actively
sending or receiving data), nor be treated as a higher priority such that it will seize facilities that are
being used to support a voice call or active data session.
3. A momentary interruption of a voice call or active data session, such as a brief visual, audible
and/or vibration indication that a CMAS message has been received, is not considered preemption
so long as the voice call/data session is not terminated and facilities to support that voice call or
data session are not seized or released.
8.2 CMAS Priority over Other Mobile Device Functions
The CMAS alert messages are notifications of imminent threats to the subscriber’s life and property. It
was the intent of the CMSAAC Recommendations [Ref 5] that the presentation of these CMAS alert
messages should be the highest priority activity of mobile device except that the presentation of the
CMAS alert message shall not preempt any active voice or data session (see Section 8.1 Preemption of
Voice and Data Calls). The ability of the mobile device to support the presentation of the CMAS alerts
as the highest priority activity is subject to the limitations of the CMSP selected broadcast delivery
technology and of the mobile device. However, it should be noted that the subscribers would be ill
served if they did not receive the presentation of the CMAS alert message because the subscriber was
involved in local mobile device activities when the CMAS alert was received.
The following are examples of local mobile device activities, subject to mobile device capabilities, that
might be in progress when a CMAS alert message is received:
a. The subscriber is reading a received non-CMAS message (e.g., SMS, MMS, Cell Broadcast
message, or email message) when the CMAS alert is received. If the received CMAS alert
message complies with the subscriber’s opt-out selections (see Section 10.1 CMAS Alert OptOut Options), the mobile device should present the CMAS alert message on the visual display
including any appropriate activation of the CMAS audio attention signal and CMAS vibration
cadence. The ability for the mobile device to return to the non-CMAS message at the point of
interruption is mobile device implementation specific.
b. The subscriber is composing a SMS, MMS, or email message when the CMAS alert is received.
If the received CMAS alert message complies with the subscriber’s opt-out selections (see
Section 10.1 CMAS Alert Opt-Out Options), the mobile device should present the CMAS alert
message on the visual display including any appropriate activation of the CMAS audio
attention signal and CMAS vibration cadence. The ability for the mobile device to retain the text
being composed and to return to the SMS, MMS or email message creation at the point of
interruption is mobile device implementation specific.
c. The subscriber is in the process of initiating a voice call (e.g. entering digits to dial but has not
pushed the SEND key or equivalent) when the CMAS alert is received. If the received CMAS
alert message complies with the subscriber’s opt-out selections (see Section 10.1 CMAS Alert
Opt-Out Options), the mobile device should initiate any appropriate activation of the CMAS
audio attention signal and CMAS vibration cadence. Additionally, the mobile device should
present the CMAS alert message on the visual display if the mobile device is capable of
retaining and restoring the entered digits after the display of the alert message and the ability of
the subscriber to initiate the voice call is not otherwise impaired (see Section 8.1 Preemption of
Voice and Data Calls). The ability for the mobile device to retain and restore the entered digits
after the display of the CMAS alert message is implementation specific.
d. The subscriber is an instant messaging session when the CMAS alert is received. If the received
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CMAS alert message complies with the subscriber’s opt-out selections (see Section 10.1 CMAS
Alert Opt-Out Options), the mobile device should present the CMAS alert message on the
visual display including any appropriate activation of the CMAS audio attention signal and
CMAS vibration cadence. The ability for the mobile device to retain and to return to the instant
messaging session at the point of interruption is mobile device implementation specific.
e. The subscriber is playing a game or using the built-in camera functions when the CMAS alert is
received. If the received CMAS alert message complies with the subscriber’s opt-out selections
(see Section 10.1 CMAS Alert Opt-Out Options), the mobile device should present the CMAS
alert message on the visual display including any appropriate activation of the CMAS audio
attention signal and CMAS vibration cadence. The ability for the mobile device to return to the
game or the built-in camera function at the point of interruption is mobile device
implementation specific.
f.
The subscriber is listening to a stored audio clip (e.g. MP3 file) or is watching a stored video clip
when the CMAS alert is received. If the received CMAS alert message complies with the
subscriber’s opt-out selections (see Section 10.1 CMAS Alert Opt-Out Options), the mobile
device should present the CMAS alert message on the visual display including any appropriate
activation of the CMAS audio attention signal and CMAS vibration cadence. The ability for the
mobile device to return to the audio or video clip at the point of interruption is mobile device
implementation specific.
g. The subscriber is reviewing and updating device and profile settings on the mobile device or
the subscriber is scrolling through the mobile device menus when the CMAS alert is received. If
the received CMAS alert message complies with the subscriber’s opt-out selections (see Section
10.1 CMAS Alert Opt-Out Options), the mobile device should present the CMAS alert message
on the visual display including any appropriate activation of the CMAS audio attention signal
and CMAS vibration cadence. The ability for the mobile device to return to the profile setting
screen or the last viewed mobile device menu at the point of interruption is mobile device
implementation specific.
The presentation of a CMAS alert message on the mobile device will interrupt the subscriber’s current
mobile device activities except for the preemption of an active voice or data session. The ability of the
mobile device to retain the subscriber’s state or input when the CMAS alert message is presented is
mobile device implementation specific. Based upon the traffic estimates provided in Section XVI Annex
A – Anticipate Peak & Average CMAS Traffic Volume of the CMSAAC Recommendations [Ref 5], a
subscriber should receive a limited number of CMAS alert messages during a year and, therefore,
should experience a minimum number of interruptions of local mobile device functions due to CMAS
alert messages.
8.3 Mobile Device Support of Required Monthly Test (RMT)
The FCC Second Report & Order [Ref 7] section 10.350 (6) indicates that a Participating CMSP may
provide mobile devices with the capability of receiving Required Monthly Test (RMT) messages. The
ability of a mobile device to receive and present RMT message is an optional capability. The following
are the requirements for any mobile device which supports this optional capability:
a. The default configuration for presenting received RMT messages is “off”.
b. The mechanism for enabling the alerting and the presentation of received RMT messages is
mobile device specific based upon CMSP policies and is beyond the scope of this specification.
c. The alerting and presentation of the RMT message on mobile devices which support this
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optional capability and have this optional capability enabled shall conform to the requirements
for the alerting and presentation of any CMAS alert message as defined in this specification.
A mobile device which does not support this optional capability shall not alert or present the RMT
message to the subscriber.
9 FEATURE INTERACTION
This section describes the features interactions between the CMAS alert capabilities and the other
potential functions and capabilities of the mobile device. The feature interactions described in this
section are only a representative list and not an exhaustive list of the possible feature actions in order to
provide general guidance on feature interactions to the mobile device manufacturers.
The representative feature interactions described in this section are as follows:

CMAS reception while mobile device busy

CMAS message initiation of other functions on mobile device

Behavior when CMAS alert received after SMS/MMS

Behavior when CMAS alert received after non-CMAS broadcast message

Behavior when SMS/MMS received after CMAS alert

Behavior when Non-CMAS broadcast message received after CMAS alert

Behavior when incoming phone call received after CMAS alert

Behavior when voice mail notification received after CMAS alert

Behavior for multiple CMAS alerts
9.1 Reception While Mobile Device Busy
When the mobile device is active in voice or data session, the mobile device is not required to receive
any CMAS message.
The mobile device may receive and present CMAS message, but while doing so the mobile device shall
conform to requirements in Section 8.1 Preemption of Voice and Data Calls. For notification of a
CMAS alert while the mobile device is busy, the mobile device may use one or more implementation
dependent indications (e.g., visual, audible, and/or vibration) that the CMAS alert has been received.
9.2 CMAS Message Initiation of Other Functions on Mobile Device
The FCC First Report and Order [Ref 1] states following:
“A CMAS Alert Message processed by a Participating CMS Provider must not include an
embedded Uniform Resource Locator (URL), which is a reference (an address) to a resource on the
internet, or an embedded telephone number. This prohibition does not apply to Presidential
Alerts.”
The mobile device shall present the displayable text of the alert message as received. However, the
mobile device is not required to support additional functions such as providing hyperlinks which
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allows subscriber initiation of phone calls or data sessions using an embedded telephone number or
URL.
9.3 Behavior When CMAS Alert Received After SMS/MMS
Upon receiving a regular SMS/MMS message, the mobile device will alert the user and upon user
interaction, the mobile device will display the appropriate message. If a CMAS alert is received after
the SMS/MMS message and it is a Presidential Alert, the mobile device will display the appropriate
message content. If a CMAS alert is received after the SMS/MMS message and the user has not
requested to opt-out of this category, the mobile device will display the appropriate message content.
If the user is in the process of viewing an SMS/MMS message and a CMAS alert is received, the mobile
device may opt to display the CMAS alert text or the mobile device may opt to send the CMAS audio
attention signal to the user advising them of the incoming CMAS alert message.
9.4 Behavior When CMAS Alert Received after Non-CMAS Broadcast Message
When a Presidential CMAS Alert is received after a non-CMAS Broadcast Message, the mobile device
will process the CMAS alert message and will display the appropriate message content to the user.
When a non-Presidential CMAS alert is received after a non-CMAS Broadcast Message, the mobile
device will process the CMAS alert, if the user has not requested to opt-out of this alert category, and
the mobile device will display the appropriate message content to the user.
9.5 Behavior When SMS/MMS Received After CMAS Alert
If an SMS/MMS message is received after the CMAS alert, the mobile device will display the CMAS
alert text until the user acknowledges this message (e.g., by pushing a specified key on the mobile
device). The mobile device will process the SMS/MMS message under normal operation of the mobile
device and will display these messages upon user interaction.
9.6 Behavior When Non-CMAS Broadcast Message Received After CMAS Alert
If a Non-CMAS Broadcast message is received after the CMAS alert, the mobile device will display the
CMAS alert text until the user acknowledges this message (e.g., by pushing a specified key on the
mobile device). The mobile device will process the Non-CMAS Broadcast message under normal
operation of the mobile device and will display these messages upon user interaction.
9.7 Behavior When Incoming Phone Call Received After CMAS Alert
If an incoming call is received while the CMAS alert text is being displayed, the mobile device will
continue to display the CMAS alert text until the user acknowledges this message (e.g., by pushing a
specified key on the mobile device). The mobile device will receive and process the incoming call and
will allow the user the option of answering.
The mobile device will indicate to the user that it has an incoming call in a manner consistent with
normal mobile device behavior (e.g., alert tone, vibration or display of incoming call notification that
does not cover the full screen) while at the same time preserving the ability of the user to view the
CMAS alert message.
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9.8 Behavior When Voice Mail Notification Received After CMAS Alert
If a voice mail notification is received after a CMAS Alert, the mobile device will display the CMAS
alert text until the user acknowledges this message (e.g., by pushing a specified key on the mobile
device). The mobile device will process the voice mail notification under normal operation of the
mobile device and will display these messages upon user interaction. The voice mail notification will
not interrupt the CMAS alert display text.
9.9 Behavior for Multiple CMAS Alerts
The mobile device is in idle. The mobile device receives the first CMAS alert and it is a Presidential
alert or it complies with the subscriber’s opt-out selections. The mobile device plays the audible CMAS
audio attention signal or the CMAS vibration cadence in accordance with the user’s settings. The
mobile device presents the text portion of the received CMAS alert message.
The mobile device receives the next CMAS alert, and it is a Presidential alert or it complies with the
subscriber’s opt-out selections. If the audible CMAS audio attention signal or the CMAS vibration
cadence is still playing, the mobile device may extend its duration. The mobile device may present an
indication with the total number of un-acknowledged alerts.
The mobile device may present the CMAS alerts in a different order than received. Presidential alerts
may be presented first. The mobile device will present all the CMAS alerts in an appropriate manner.
10 CMAS CONFIGURATION OPTIONS
The mobile device shall maintain configuration of CMAS alert options including the following:

Subscriber’s choices of CMAS alert opt-out selections.

Subscriber’s choices for the CMAS audio attention signal options

Subscriber’s choices for the CMAS vibration cadence options
10.1 CMAS Alert Opt-Out Options
This section defines the mobile device requirements for the support of subscriber CMAS alert opt-out
options. The term “opt-out” in this specification refers to the ability of the subscriber to configure the
mobile device to not alert and present the receipt of a CMAS Alert message for which the subscriber
has chosen to opt-out of receiving.
Note: The mobile device may or may not actually receive the CMAS alert message which the subscriber
has chosen to opt-out of receiving; this is subject to the capability of the delivery technology and mobile
device and is beyond the scope of this specification. Opt-out in this specification refers only to the
alerting and presentation of the alert message to the subscriber.
CMAS defines three classes of alerts: Presidential, Child Abduction Emergency (e.g., AMBER), and
Imminent Threat. The Imminent Threat class includes the subclasses Extreme and Severe. The
definition and requirements for subscriber opt-out of alerts are as follows:
1. The default setting for the CMAS alert opt-out options shall be for the mobile device to be
configured for the capability to alert and present all CMAS alert messages (that is, there are no
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alerts in the “opt-out” setting).
2. The default setting for the RMT option is “off”.
a. Mobiles with the optional RMT capability may be configured to present the received RMT
messages either via a menu option, a command string, or other CMSP / mobile device specific
options.
3. Presidential alerts shall not be eligible for opt-out since the mobile device shall always be
configured for the capability to alert and present Presidential alerts.
4. The mobile device shall support the capability for a subscriber to opt-out of the capability to alert
and present Child Abduction Emergency/AMBER Alert messages.
5. For all Imminent Threat Alert messages, the mobile device shall support a simple opt-out process
that is based on the category of imminent threat of the CMAS Alert message. Imminent threats are
categorized as Extreme or Severe as indicated by the value of the severity, urgency and certainty
attributes of the original alert message. The following table defines Extreme and Severe alerts:
Table 1: CMAS - Imminent Threat Message Categorization
CMAS Message Category
Severity
Urgency
Certainty
Extreme Alert Message
Extreme
Immediate
Observed
Extreme
Immediate
Likely
Extreme
Expected
Observed
Extreme
Expected
Likely
Severe
Immediate
Observed
Severe
Immediate
Likely
Severe
Expected
Observed
Severe
Expected
Likely
Severe Alert Message
The mobile device opt-out process for imminent threat alert messages shall provide the subscriber
with the following choices: the capability not to alert and present Extreme or Severe imminent
threat alerts, or the capability to alert and present Extreme imminent threat alerts only. These
choices can also be viewed as follows:

Opt-out of “all imminent threat messages”
o

Neither Extreme nor Severe imminent threats alerts are presented
Opt-out of “Severe imminent threat” messages
o
Only Extreme imminent threat alerts are presented
If the subscriber chooses not to opt-out of either “all imminent threat messages” or “Severe
imminent threat” messages, then the Extreme and Severe imminent threats alerts are both
presented.
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Note: Extreme and Severe imminent threat opt-out processing is performed independent of the
Child Abduction Emergency/AMBER Alert opt-out settings and processing. Presentation of
Presidential alerts is not affected by these settings.
6. Because of differences in the way CMSPs and device manufacturers provision their menus and user
interfaces, CMSPs and device manufacturers shall have flexibility on how to present the opt-out
choices to subscribers. However, for simplicity in consumer education, the opt-out requirements 3,
4 and 5 above shall be supported by all mobile devices.
For illustrative purposes, a CMAS options menu might appear as follows:
EMERGENCY ALERTS
ALL ALERTS ON
EXTREME ALERTS ONLY
PRESIDENTIAL ALERTS ONLY
AMBER ALERT NOTIFICATIONS
ON
OFF
Figure 4: Illustrative CMAS Options Menu
Note that Presidential alerts are always received irrespective of the options chosen in the CMAS
Options Menu.
10.2 CMAS Audio Attention Signal Options
The following requirements define the mobile device options available to the subscriber that are related
to the CMAS audio attention signal:
1. If the end user has deselected or turned off the mobile device audio and alarms, the CMAS audio
attention signal follows the mobile device settings and shall not be activated upon receipt of a
CMAS alert.
2. If the end user has deselected or turned off the mobile device audio and alarms and has deselected
or turned off the vibration capabilities of the mobile device, neither the CMAS audio attention
signal nor the special emergency alert vibration cadence shall be activated upon receipt of a CMAS
alert consistent with the mobile device settings.
3. The CMAS audio attention signal shall not be selectable by the subscriber for any mobile device
functions.
4. If the end user does not acknowledge the CMAS alert to the mobile device, the mobile device
should support the capability to activate and deactivate the CMAS audio attention signal. The
frequency and interval of the activation and deactivation of the CMAS audio attention signal is
dependent on mobile device capabilities.
10.3 CMAS Vibration Cadence Options
The following requirements define the mobile device options available to the subscriber that are related
to the CMAS vibration cadence:
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1. If the end user has deselected or turned off the vibration capabilities of the mobile device, the
special emergency alert vibration cadence follows the mobile device settings and shall not be
activated upon receipt of a CMAS alert.
2. If the end user has deselected or turned off the mobile device audio and alarms and has deselected
or turned off the vibration capabilities of the mobile device, neither the CMAS audio attention
signal nor the special emergency alert vibration cadence shall be activated upon receipt of a CMAS
alert consistent with the mobile device settings.
3. The CMAS vibration cadence for the CMAS alert shall not be selectable by the subscriber for any
mobile device functions.
4. If the end user does not acknowledge the CMAS alert to the mobile device, the mobile device
should support the capability to activate and deactivate the special emergency alert vibration
cadence. The frequency and interval of the activation and deactivation of the special emergency
alert vibration cadence is dependent on mobile device capabilities.
11 CONSIDERATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Section 603(b)(3)(F) of the WARN Act [Ref 4] required that the CMSAAC include representatives of
national organizations representing people with special needs, including individuals with disabilities
and the elderly. The CMSAAC concluded, with the concurrent of the FCC, that Congress intended to
include the elderly and those individuals with disabilities among the class of subscriber to which
electing CMS providers are to deliver CMAS alerts.
The requirements contained in Section 7
Mandated Mobile Device Requirements and Section 8
General Mobile Device Requirements of this specification, which originated from the CMSAAC
recommendations contained in the FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) [Ref 5], took into
consideration individuals with special needs, including the elderly. Those requirements benefit all
subscribers in an emergency, not only those with special needs. CMAS-compliant mobile devices
according to the requirements specified in Section 7 Mandated Mobile Device Requirements and
Section 8 General Mobile Device Requirements meet the considerations for individuals with special
needs.
An additional optional capability is to provide text-to-speech conversion for CMAS alert messages. One
area of particular concern is that people who are blind or visually impaired will be most underserved
by a solely text-based CMAM. It is recognized that these subscribers could be best served by having the
CMAM made available in speech format. An optional capability is for mobile devices to provide a
screen reading and text-to-speech conversion capability. Such specialized mobile devices, which are
geared for people who are blind and who have low vision, could be a solution.
Mobile device support of the Title 47 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 225 Telecommunications
services for hearing-impaired and speech-impaired individuals [Ref 6] (e.g. support of TTY devices and
hearing aids) is outside the scope of this specification.
ANNEX A USE CASES (INFORMATIVE)
This annex is an informative annex which provides example use cases on the behavior of the mobile
devices for CMAS alerts. These use cases are written from the end user point of view and provide
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insight into the CMAS user experience which is used in the development of the mobile device
requirements of this specification. The example use cases included in this section are as follows:

Use Case #1 – CMAS Configuration

Use Case #2 – Cancelled Alert

Use Case #3 – Updated Alert
A.1 Use Case #1 – CMAS Configuration
When Sophie purchased her new mobile device she learned that a new Commercial Mobile Alert
Service was being offered by her mobile operator to subscribers in her area. She learned that this
service is free and the mobile device could notify her when alerts that were considered an imminent
threat to life and property were received by her mobile device. She learned that there were three classes
of alerts. One class of alert was a Presidential Alert and she would always be notified when this alert
was received. However, she could choose to be notified of other alerts based on whether they were
categorized as Extreme or Extreme and Severe. In addition, she could choose whether she wanted to be
notified of AMBER Alerts.
Sophie learned that new mobile devices were initially configured to notify her when they receive any
alerts. If she wanted to change this configuration she could access the CMAS opt-out menu on the
mobile device and choose to opt-out of All Alert Messages (i.e. All Extreme and Severe Alert messages
and the AMBER Alerts, but not the Presidential Alert), All Severe Alert messages and/or AMBER
Alerts. As a busy professional woman Sophie decided she only wanted to be notified of Extreme alerts,
so she deselected All Messages and the AMBER Alert message.
A.2 Use Case #2 – Cancelled Alert
Recently Susan purchased a cell phone which supported the new Commercial Mobile Alert Service.
Susan decided not to opt-out of any alerts, so there was no need to access the CMAS opt-out menu. As
a result, the mobile device will notify Susan when it receives a Presidential alert or any other alerts
marked as Extreme, Severe or the AMBER Alert
When an alert is sent to Susan’s mobile she hears a unique audible signal, she also experiences the
unique cadence of the vibrating alert. After she retrieves her mobile device from her purse she turns off
the audible and vibrating alerts and reads the alert displayed on the screen. In this case, Susan is being
notified of an AMBER Alert. Then Susan acknowledges the AMBER alert. When an alert is
acknowledged, the mobile device ends CMA service and returns to normal (i.e. idle mode). As a result
of being notified of the alert, Susan made a personal decision on what action to take, if any, in response
to the alert.
A short time later, Susan was talking with her friend Jane. Susan asked Jane whether she had heard
about the AMBER Alert. As Jane did not have a CMAS capable mobile device, she was not aware of the
alert. Jane asked Susan to forward the message to her. Susan retrieved the alert message from where it
was stored in the mobile device. Susan attempted to forward the message to Jane without success.
Susan then tried to copy the message text into another message for Jane, again without success. Susan
checked her users manual and learned that mobile devices do not support any user interface
capabilities to forward received CMAS alerts, to reply to received CMAS alerts, or to copy and paste
CMAS alert contents.
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Sometime later the missing child that was the subject of the AMBER alert was located and the AMBER
alert was canceled. A message was sent by the alert originator to the same area of the original AMBER
alert indicating the alert was canceled. Susan’s mobile device notified her of the cancellation message
for the previous sent AMBER alert in a manner consistent with the notification of the original alert.
A.3 Use Case #3 – Updated Alert
While Frank travels extensively for business he uses his company supplied mobile. Recently, Frank’s
company provided him with a new cell phone. This particular model supported the new Commercial
Mobile Alert Service. Frank decided to only opt-out of the AMBER Alert, as more often than not the
alert is for an area where his family does not live. As a result, the mobile device will notify Frank when
it receives a Presidential alert or any other alerts marked as Extreme or Severe.
Frank had traveled to a business meeting at one of his company’s sites when a severe alert was sent to
his mobile device. As Frank had configured his mobile device to disable the audible alert, the mobile
device only initiated the vibrating alert. Frank discreetly checked his mobile. He turned off the
vibrating alert and read the CMAS message. Frank excused himself from the meeting and informed the
local secretary of the nature of the CMAS alert and showed her the alert on the screen before
acknowledging the alert. Frank asked the secretary to find out more information before taking further
action, as it wasn’t clear to him whether they were in the affected area.
Frank’s mobile operator sent the same alert some time later to notify users that had traveled into the
affected area since the time of the previous alert. Frank’s mobile device recognized this was a duplicate
alert and did not notify Frank of an alert he had previously acknowledged.
Later that evening Frank was out to dinner with clients. Frank still had his mobile device programmed
to disable the audible alert as the owners of the restaurant discouraged use of mobile devices in the
dining room. The originator of the original severe alert sent an updated CMAS message to subscribers
in the alert area. Frank’s mobile device notified him of the updated message.
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