Radio Protocols for LTE and LTE-Advanced

Chapter 10

Public Warning System (PWS)

3GPP networks support the Public Warning System (PWS). The PWS is used to alert the public to events such as disasters. For instance, when earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, or wild fires occur, the PWS can be used to notify people to evacuate impacted areas within a certain time. In addition, the PWS can be used to notify people of a Child Abduction Emergency (e.g., AMBER alert). PWS notifications should be delivered accurately and in a timely manner to the public in order to help people prepare sufficiently for events.

Different countries may have different requirements on delivery of warning messages, as specified in [1]. Thus, 3GPP networks provide different warning systems for different countries. However, warning systems supported by 3GPP use a common system architecture and common signaling procedures. As listed in Table 10.1, 3GPP standardized different warning systems in different releases, according to requests from corresponding countries.

Table 10.1 The Public Warning Systems supported by 3GPP.

Warning System	Target Region	Release
ETWS	Japan	Release 8
CMAS	United States of America	Release 9
KPAS	South Korea	Release 10
EU-ALERT	European countries	Release 11

The Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System (ETWS) was the first warning system to be standardized in Release 8 for Japan. The ETWS was designed based on Japanese requirements focusing on earthquakes and tsunamis. One important requirement of the ETWS is that warning ...