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Consequences of flooding in Bad Neuenahr: "The warning of the population must work"
Photo: Reiner Zensen / imago images / Reiner Zensen
In the event of a disaster, the federal government wants to warn citizens with additional push messages on mobile phones.
Consequences are drawn from the devastating storms in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, in which many were surprised by the floods in July.
At least 180 people lost their lives.
On Wednesday, the cabinet approved a formulation aid for the coalition factions of the CDU / CSU and SPD so that the legal changes can be implemented promptly. The Telecommunications Act must be adapted for the introduction of so-called cell broadcast. "The warning of the population has to work on all channels," said Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU). "The introduction of cell broadcast will complement sirens, apps and radio." Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU) said that the technical details would now be discussed with the Federal Network Agency, the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, the Federal Office for Information Security and the Cellular network operators clarified.
With the help of cell broadcast, all cell phones that are in a certain cellular network can receive a warning via text message without having to download an app first.
The messages are also sent to the recipient when idle mode is activated.
Foreign cell phones are also warned if they are in the disaster area.
The mobile network operators are legally obliged to go along with this.
According to government circles, the new system should be ready for use in autumn 2022.
The cost of the investment is estimated at around 40 million euros.
Up to one million euros per operator is then calculated annually for maintenance and operation.
The federal government bears these costs.
The individual warning messages are not remunerated.
The legislative changes are to be created by parliament in the next few weeks.
Subsequently, a regulation is to be issued that regulates the technical details.
pbe / Reuters