Emergency Alert System; Wireless Emergency Alerts

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Federal Communications Commission 47 CFR Part 10 [PS Docket No. 15–94; PS Docket No. 15–91; FCC 23–30; FR ID 146184] ( printed page 40606) AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes requirements for commercial mobile service providers (CMS Providers) that have elected to participate in the Wireless Emergency Alert system (WEA) to make WEA more accessible, including to people who primarily speak a language other than English or Spanish and people with disabilities who cannot access messages displayed in conventional formats. Additionally, the document proposes to weave WEA more seamlessly into people's lives through increased flexibility in whether an attention signal or vibration is triggered when a WEA is triggered. The document also proposes performance measures for WEA to satisfy and greater transparency for alerting stakeholders regarding where and on what devices they offer WEA as well as information about WEA performance. These requirements would assist the millions of people who do not speak English or Spanish, as well as those with disabilities, understand and respond to WEA messages, and result in a more precise and tailored use of WEA through increased flexibility and options for consumers and alerting authorities. With this Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Further Notice), the Commission seeks comment on the proposed rules and any su…