Israel Matzav

IDF testing cell phone alert system

If you live in Israel and have a cell phone, you will probably be getting a message from the IDF this week.

Called “Personal Message,” the alert system has been under development for several years. It can deliver area-specific warnings based on the projection of an incoming trajectory of a rocket or missile.

During the test, members of the public receive the following message, “The Home Front Command, checking cellular alert system,” followed by a number.

Messages will be sent in Hebrew, Arabic, English and Russian. Home Front Command officials say the messages will be directed on the basis of geographical areas, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

On Sunday and Monday, residents of Ramle will receive the messages, while residents of Haifa, Tel Aviv, Acre, Nahariya, Karmiel, Safed, Netanya, Ashdod, Ashkelon, and other cities will do so on Tuesday.

Kiryat Shmona, Rishon Lezion, Rehovot, Yavne, Dimona and other cities will receive messages on Wednesday, while Jerusalemites and residents of Modi’in, Bet Shemesh, Mevaseret Zion and other areas can expect them on Thursday.

Two obvious questions: What if you're not in your own area when your turn comes or you're in a different area when their turn comes? And second, what happens with all the 'Kosher phones' which are (supposedly) not capable of receiving SMS's? Can the IDF bypass the block?

I've put those questions to the IDF spokesperson's office, and if I get an answer, I will update this post.

UPDATE MONDAY 5:43 PM

I have received the following answers from the IDF spokesperson's office:

The residence of recipients of the "Direct Message" system isn't an issue, because the technology isn't SMS-based but rather reliant on Cell Broadcast -- a technology which tracks the location of the mobile device based on the national telephone network as mapped out by Orange, Samsung, and Partner, the three major cellular companies in Israel. It's possible to ascertain at any time where mobile devices are located, based on the same network which provides reception for these devices. It is this information the Home Front Command system utilizes.

"Kosher" phones are currently not included in the system database, although the issues are being worked out at present with a representative rabbinical committee. It's important to clarify that this system is not intended to replace the ordinary alarms which you can hear nowadays, only to augment them. The ordinary alarms will keep sounding as necessary, so that no area will be reliant purely on the "Direct Message" system.

So if I am out of Jerusalem on Thursday, I won't receive a message with the Jerusalemites, but if I am someplace else on Tuesday or Wednesday where they are receiving messages, I will receive one too.

Labels: cell phone, IDF Home Front Command

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:46 PM