Israeli’s getting Missile Text Messages
The Residents of northern Israel may soon have the chance to get their missile-attack warnings via text message on their cellular phones.
The text messages from cellular messaging firm Cellact will be available to subscribers of all cellular companies, according to a report in the Israeli business newspaper Globes.These messages will include warnings of a missile or bomb attack, shooting or other emergency announcements.
While receiving text messages is normally free in Israel, receiving the emergency bulletins will cost 4 cents per message. Since attacks began hitting the surface, Israelis in the north have heard warning sirens as many as several times an hour. In this case the service could start to get very expensive for mobile owners.
“After the shelling started, Cellact made a decision to harness its technology for the benefit of residents and companies in the north,” the company’s vice president of sales and marketing, Gal Biran, said via the Globes report.
“Text Messaging use meets two requirements in the event of an emergency: timely warning and distribution, and high reliability even in the event of heavy web traffic or poor reception,” Biran continued.
Since using these text message alerts, the system has had its problems with functionality. The system has experienced downtime and system fails twice so far.
“The system also provides ongoing communications when people are indoors or in air raid shelters, and can be used to easily relay information such as the opening hours of specific bank branches, or any important announcement that the public will not be able to see on notice boards because they are confined to their homes,” the report quoted Biran as saying
