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SUMMERY
Regional deployment of cellular broadcast emergency messaging services is made possible by the use of pull-data technologies that allows messaging content to be ‘harvested’ from multinational agencies through a central data-scanning portal and forwarded to a consortium of multicast provider networks, while guaranteeing sovereign control over the content and its broadcast dissemination.
The regional service model also provides mobile operators the option to provide highly economical emergency messaging services as a government funded cellular feature by amortizing costs over multiple client markets.
OVERVIEW
The global availability of personal communication devices provides an ‘at hand’ media for government agencies to issue timely emergency notifications to at-risk population groups. However, the costs of enabling the broadcast messaging functionality in cellular networks, and the vendor costs related to the acquisition of dedicated operational systems, has limited emergency messaging to only a few nations.
Project Gabriel a commercial cellular messaging solution, provided through a consortium of mobile operators, which will offer government agencies a non-gateway operating system that can significantly reduce deployment and operational costs based on the use of a pull-data syndication portal solution and shared-use technology platforms.
BACKGROUND
The CEASA Group members patented a cell broadcast messaging operating system in 2006. These IP programs are used by the US FEMA Open Gateway to operate the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system. The gateway managed system is the model currently used by all cellular emergency messaging programs. However the CEASA Group recognized some of the gateway limitations as a push-based syndication solution, including the need to engineer dedicated gateway middleware programming for each national deployment. Each gateways must interface individually with mobile networks that have invested in cell broadcast technology even if that same network serves multiple nations
Additionally, because push-syndication of message content requires a central gateway to aggregate, authenticate, and administer message data before it can interface with a network for cell broadcast delivery, push-driven systems inherently result in high deployment costs and potential security risks.
In 20011, the CEASA Group undertook the initiative to develop an alternative to the gateway operating system. The result of this effort was the design of a pull-portal forwarding system that is able to scan and ‘copy’ designated IP posted message content proposals. Since a pull system does not require any data to leave the a client servers, there is no need for a middleware gateway to further process the message data. This allows a single onramp portal to scan and forward content data from an unlimited number of client servers, and forward the message proposals to the designated networks with a single connectivity.
The incorporation of a shared cell broadcast enabling platform and a link to a generic messaging origination program, operator networks are able to offer a ‘turnkey’ CellAlert program to government agencies as a network messaging feature with a per-population cost that is significantly less than a gateway managed system with no initial vendor investments.
This is the operational model for allowing cellular emergency alert service to become a regionally implemented service.
RECENT PROJECTS
PROJECT UPDATE
FCC Report and Order 18-4 now requires the Wireless Emergency Notification to expand messaging to include Non-Alert Public Safety Notifications.
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PROJECT // 01 US-INFO
PROJECT US-INFO UPDATE 09-2018
The objectives and mission of Project US-INFO has been addressed by the FCC Report and Order 18-4 and defined by WEA 3.0
COMMAND
CONTROL
COMMUNICATIONS
OR
CHAOS
An Informational Document prepared as a Public Service
By
The Cellular Emergency Alert Solutions association
A Civil Information Society
April 1, 2018
The same cellular messaging tool that is now providing reliable pre-event Wireless Emergency Notifications should be available to provide post-event disaster recovery instruction.
Without reliable government-to-citizen communications, command and control of recovery efforts cannot be efficiently administered.
The resultant chaos as witnessed in recent disaster event management efforts dramatically increases recovery costs and civil unrest.
This document appeals to this proposition.
Briefly…..
In 1994, the FCC enacted CFR part 11 Rules which replaced Emergency Broadcast System with the Emergency Alert Service which could address localized emergency threats.
In comments to the new rulings, the founder of the Cellular Emergency Alert Solutions association, CEASa, proposed that the emerging cellular personal telecommunications industry had by the nature of its grid structure, the potential to broadcast warning to devices in targeted locations by selecting a cell tower or a string of towers from the network to broadcast an alerting signals.
In its reply, the FCC simply stated it currently lacked rule making authority in the matter.
However, in 1998, in response to a sever outbreak of tornados across the south and Florida, where lives were lost due to the lack of effective warning, the Clinton Whitehouse convened a study encompassing all federal agencies, to evaluate and recommend new technologies that could better alert and warn Americans to eminent disaster threats.
The National Disaster Information Service NDIS committee under Vice President Al Gore, concluded in its report published in 2000, that indeed the Commercial Mobile networks had in their operational standards, a broadcast functionality that could be used to significantly improve public warning capability.
This capability known by the wireless industry as Cell Broadcast, the technology backbone of CMAS, was specifically designed for issuing location-based mass emergency notifications. Unfortunately, further development of the feature had little support from the mobile operators. Unlike the new revenue streams being created by the Short Messaging Service text feature, C-B SMS could not identify who, if anyone received the message, making the imposition of service fees impossible to collect.
In 2008, in a $2M project funded by the state of Florida, successfully demonstrated an end-to-end solution that utilized a billing algorithm that allowed cellular operators to charge for the use of their private infrastructure and spectrum by public agencies to broadcast alert and warning messages.
While various revenue-based implementation models are used by nations for CMAS, the US program is not revenue sustained. It relies instead on ‘good-citizen’ participation by the commercial mobile carriers through an FCC ‘voluntary mandate’.
Today……
In 2008 FEMA began to implement Commercial Mobile Alert Service CMAS, as a as a public service feature in compliance with the WARN Act and FCC voluntary mandate CFR part 10.
In the US, CMAS is implemented by FEMA through a policy based initiative, presumably so that there would be no costs imposed on either the sender, (authorized agencies) or the recipient, (the citizen-at-risk) that might limit its use and penetration.
Unfortunately, the use of private corporate assets by public agencies without compensation is contrary to a for-profit corporation’s fiduciary responsibility regardless of its humanitarian benefit.
Cellular industry is not in the business of protecting the public and must demonstrate a return on its investments.
Because there has been no way for carriers to recoup their voluntary investment in the core technology used, cell-broadcast, the industry has understandably been reluctant to dedicate additional resources on promotion, and expansion, or to invest in additional cell-broadcast technology for newer generations of cellular service.
This is the reason few people are aware of Wireless Emergency Notification WEN or the critical nature of its messages.
Today you might ask, if WEN really needed because most people are able to get alert and warning via various communication channels including social media that goes beyond radio and TV based EAS.
The answer is yes. The more alert and warning channels available, the less public vulnerable to the increasing magnitude and frequency of both natural and manmade disaster threats.
But CMAS has additional capabilities that could also be provided by the cellular carriers C-B Messaging.
By international agreements, CMAS protocols define multiple levels of government-to-citizen messaging.
To date the US carriers have agreed to provide;
• level 1, which allows the President to address the nation, and
• level 2, which is designated for imminent life-threatening events (primarily weather), (and in the US, Amber alerts). While level 2 is also open via the FEMA Open Gateway to local emergency agencies, it is seldom used due to lack of education and confusion regarding its access, use and availability.
Hurricane Sandy recovery demonstrated, unquestionably, the need for effective post-event, government-to-citizen communications was as urgent as the initial warnings. Without power, citizens no longer had access to radio, TV, or the Internet. The only media available was cellular phones.
What is CMAS level 4…
The 4th level of CMAS is defined by international and mobile operator agreements for use as a public safety information channel. It uses the same CMAS delivery technologies resident in the networks. It allows citizens to opt-in, or be Over the Air connected, to official government instruction, assisting recovery efforts and improving moral. Without reliable post event communications, effective command and control of recovery efforts are not possible.
The information provided can range from advising where disaster relief stations are located, to passively informing citizens in, or visiting a location, when critical utility services will be restored.
CMAS level 4 answers the question….
How can emergency management prevent post event chaos resulting from lack of effective government-to-citizen communications that will adversely impact recovery efforts?
Who provides CMAS level 4…
Availability of Level 4, like Levels 1, and 2, is at the sole discretion of the mobile carriers to offer.
Will CEMAS Level 4 have a cost…
Yes, without providing a revenue incentive why would the carriers make it available. The good news is they already have invested in the Cell-Broadcast technology so there is minimal cost to the network to include an additional level. Our estimate based on Europe and Asian CMAS service indicates 3.2 cents per pop per month will recover the networks’ total expenditures for all levels of CMAS.
Where will this money come from…
There are several funding options purposed.
Depending on individual states’ legislation governing the use of the e911 surtax on mobile phone bills, the cost of CMAS level 4 could be largely paid by a portion of this existing tax.
-
Utilities have a long history of subsidizing the cost of public alert and warning systems. The ability for power and water companies to access their customers through agreements with local emergency agencies would certainly be in their corporate interest as they too were heavily criticized for their lack of communication post Sandy.
-
As cellular phones continue to replace land line phones, much of the high-cost dial-down services can be replaced by CMAS level 4 with significant savings to the jurisdiction.
Why is this so important to Florida…
Florida depends on tourism. It is essential that government has a reliable media to communicate with ‘visitors’ who would not be familiar with Florida’s emergency management procedures. Additionally, the need to communicate post event to targeted audiences by government and service providers through a coordinated system is critical to the recovery effort. Providing a consistent information channel through a common framework will improve “Situational Awareness” and help create a better Common Operating
PROJECT US-INFO UPDATE 09-2018
The objectives and mission of Project US-INFO has been addressed by thf FCC Report and Order 18-4 and defined by WEA 3.0
PROJECT // 02
Cell Broadcast Enterprise Alliance
for the implementation of a Commercial Global Mobile Broadcast Gateway
Cell Broadcast represents the Wireless Industry’s only non-return spectrum and infrastructure investments. The ‘mandated’ use of mobile operators’ private spectrum and infrastructure assets by public agencies, while a noble gesture, currently represents additional overhead with no RoI or operational profit.
The commercialization of cellular broadcasting as a passive delivery media for fee-based messaging and IoT/M2M data syndication will provide a significant new revenue stream with minimal need for additional operator resource investments.
The Cell Broadcast Inc Industry Alliance is the only entity with the licensed ability and technology expertise to implement a second gateway interface using the same programming and interface connectivity currently employed by the IBM Open Alert Gateway. Owned as an operator co-op, the Enterprise Gateway Partnership the single client onramp construct will guarantee the highest possible per-GIG return for network investors.
Alliance Co-Op Mission:
To implement a revenue-based gateway interface to Commercial Mobile Operators’ resident Cell Broadcast functionality for enabling an economically superior wireless media option for the real-time passive syndication of data and content to an unlimited scale of devices in geographic select locations.
Operational Model:
Access to Mobile Operators’ Cell Broadcast Center, CBC, will be provided by a single Gateway Operating System that licenses use of the same, interface used by the Wireless Emergency Notification, WEA, Open Gateway.
Enterprise Gateway Operational Structure:
There are three basic elements to the Enterprise Gateway
1. On Ramp
The onramp receives or polls data proposals from the origination clients. The FEMA Open Gateway utilizes proprietary software programming to accept and authorize message data received from COG members. The Enterprise Gateway will also utilize a propriety data polling system that ‘reads’ data posted by clients on their gateway app work station. No data is sent. This system allows devices to create and post relevant data without human involvement. While designed for M2M Smart Device management applications, polling can also be used to automatically relay equipment readings to geographically targeted population groups like water levels and air quality, allowing for timely alerting of threats to public safety.
2. Operating Subsystem CBE Platform
This is the work station. It reformats data to be compatible with Cell Broadcast interface protocol and the proprietary protocols utilized by the various network Cell Broadcast Centers, CBCs. It also employs proprietary algorithms to determine the amount of infrastructure, spectrum required to transmit client data to allow for capacity-based cost billing.
3. Global Interface hub
Provides secure interface connectivity to the coop network partners’ Cell Broadcast Center.
Enterprise Gateway Co-op Business Model:
The Enterprise Gateway is jointly owned and operated as a revenue share cooperative by the participating carrier networks, operational platform provider, and Gateway Management.
Revenue is generated by per gig charges for accessed use of operator networks’ data and message content point-to-multipoint syndication service.
Identified Economic Risks:
Both the exponential growth of on board Apps and the Internet of Things will bring three paradigm changes to the way mobile network do business resulting in risks to the bottom line.
1. The scale of the number of devices will significantly rise by orders of magnitude. Risk of overload of mobility management system for very low returns.
2. Devices will be streaming very low volumes of data but very frequently, rather than high volumes infrequently. There is Risk of payload data being less than overhead data using present models of Mobility Management.
3. The present client/server model requires clients to constantly poll the server in order to find out if there is any traffic pending. In many cases the polling traffic consumes more control data that the payload does, resulting in load on the network and battery consumption at the terminal, as the transmitter is on more often, also causing radio interference pollution.
Current investment risks demand increasing returns. This requires networks to reexamine return on spectrum and the consumption of spectrum for addition of services. Cell Broadcast was initially perceived to be incompatible with a business model based on the sale of spectrum. Now that model must be preplaced with maximized per GIG returns and spectrum conservation. This is the benefit of CB applications.
Enterprise Gateway Solution:
· Very low overhead cost and high return provided by the Point-to-Multipoint Passive Syndication Paradigm allows operators, for the first time, to stream content and data from its Cell Broadcast Private Control Channel (or Mobile Multicast channel), creating revenue return on an ‘overhead’ spectrum investment.
· Point-to-Multipoint Passive Syndication used technology and infrastructure investments resident in the network switch as a policy-driven government policy mandates.
· Point-to-Multipoint Passive Syndication is a no-cost substitution for many high-cost infrastructure modifications being acquired to deliver IoT services.
Enterprise Gateway Commercial Advantages:
Mobile Operators
· Revenue Generation for ‘Mandated’ Technology Investments
· Revenue Generation for Control Channel Spectrum
· Requires 500 times less spectrum than comparable point-to-point syndication
· Very low overhead cost with high return by “Passive Syndication” paradigm.
Passive Syndication Client Base
· Unlimited Scalability
· Passive Geographic Targeting
· No requirement for delivery parameter data bank maintainance
· Real Time delivery
· No Network Registry Polling dramatically Reduces Spectrum and Power consumption
· Highly Secure
Core Technologies:
Cell Broadcast.
The Commercial Mobile Networks have a point-to-multipoint multicast bearer service as part of their standard function. This is known by various names, including but not limited to; Cell Broadcast (CB). CB is supported by GSM, UMTS, LTE and IS95 CDMA as defined iby standard 3GPP 023.041. Cell Broadcast is presently being used successfully all over the world as the bearer service for the Wireless Emergency Alert system technology (WEA). It has proven to be a reliable and very low cost technology which is finding yet further applications as a passive syndication media for both network registered terminal device messaging and dissemination of data to to non-network receiver terminals like ‘smart devices’. Globally, many networks have now implemented Cell Broadcast functionality technologies to support Cellular Emergency Notification, either voluntarily or by government mandate.
Cell Broadcast technology allows the message or data originator to define a delivery ‘Polygon’, which is a freehand shape consisting of WGS84 Lat/Long co-ordinates. This allows the content to be targeted to a specific geographic location. CB technology resolves this polygon into a list of ‘Cells’, each covering a specific area about 1KM square. Thus within the limits of the coverage of a cell, the message delivery can be passively geo specific without the device having to determine the terminal’s identification or the need for maintaining cumbersome and costly data banks which are required by point-to-point syndication.
The principal reason a point-to-multipoint capability is included in all cellular standards is that cell broadcast uses control channel spectrum, not voice or text spectrum. This creates the only content delivery media that is not affected by, or contributes to network congestion making it the ideal media for the syndication of critical messaging and data content. Like all true broadcast media, cell broadcast is download only requiring 1/500th the spectrum consumption required by point-to-point medias which must use two-way connectivity to maintain registration with a bearer network.
Cell Broadcast only requires one broadcast tower to be operational in a given location to be operational. CB remains fully functioning even when network infrastructure has been significantly compromised.
Passive Simple Syndication:
The “Internet of Things” involves an exponential change in the scale of the number of devices communicating over a network. Using the traditional Client-Server model would involve creating billions of ‘Stateful Relationships’ between Network and end devices. This presents a burden on the network and greatly multiplies the effort needed to fulfill the end result, resulting in much larger costs and lower efficiency than is needed for the task in hand.
This method of “Passive Syndication” is to use a Multicast bearer service to stream the data to devices. The Device then intercepts the data stream and filters the information it needs for its function. Due to the Broadcast/Multicast methodology, there is no stateful relationship between the receiver and the sender. The result is an unlimited scale of syndication up to infinite levels, with no incremental costs associated with exponential growth of receiver devices. Reaching billions of devices costs the same as reaching one, with trivial burdensome maintenance liabilities.
Passive Simple Syndication Operational Advantages:
1. Devices monitor the stream of data while in a passive receive only mode, using no transmitter power and thus keeping power usage low. In addition as the reception is passive, there is no signaling load on the network regardless of the scale of implementation beyond any level of order of magnitude.
2. By far the most data used by apps and IoT devices is downlink, so point-to-multipoint broadcasting information in a Passive Syndication technology reduces the costs of syndication by factors of several hundreds. It is also faster and more reliable for the end user.
3. The passive syndication channel can also carry private paging channels so that devices can uplink contact with a server if a data feed is required.
4. Marketing is hampered by the reluctance of users to accept constant offers from the network, risk of ‘poisoning the well’. Passive syndication constantly streams marketing offers to apps and devices which can filter the information and make their decisions as to what information is to be displayed. To accept an offer, the device then enables its transmitter to fetch more information or send an order. Passive syndication is a powerful marketing driver, stimulating more sales of services which are more pertinent to the user and location without significant load to the network, driving traffic to 5G networks as needed.
Point-to-Multipoint Market Impacts:
Machine2Man (Network Terminals) Message Syndication
The implementation of revenue-based cell broadcast messaging, with 1/500th the spectrum demand of point-to-point content syndication will dramatically impact the business model of all SMS based messaging markets.
· Providing expanded non-alert public safety information messaging, called for by FCC Report and Order 18-4, is permitted to be fee-based. Government studies indicate the creation of a post-event messaging capability that will remain functional with compromise network infrastructure and when all other communications channels may be unavailable due to the lack of electric power, will dramatically improve command and control of recovery efforts delivering net saving of 10-30 Billion dollars annually, based on current FEMA disaster recovery expenditures.
· The Enterprise Gateway will also be able to provide private security clients a real-time media for event crisis management, a critical communication capability not able to be provided by the Open Gateway construct and legislative limitations.
· A cell broadcast commercial interface will encourage development of new messaging applications like stealth communications services and passive recipient-targeted display options.
Machine2Machine (non-network client terminals) Data Syndication
Machine2Machine dissemination of smart device command and control data will be the principal beneficiary of Point-to-Multipoint Broadcast syndication. It will replace most current data delivery media options which currently must use point-to-point bearer systems. The dramatic reduction of spectrum and power requirements of cell broadcast syndication media will resolve the smart-device markets’ principal operational limitations.
The Internet of Things. IoT, and Machine-to-Machine, M2M, device management involves an exponential change in the scale of the number of devices communicating over a network. Using the traditional point-to-point Client-Server model would involve creating billions of ‘Stateful Relationships’ between Network and end devices. This presents a burden on the network and greatly multiplies the effort needed to fulfill the end result. This fact translates into much larger operational costs with lower efficiencies than is needed for the task.
Economically beneficial M2M syndication media will encourage development of diverse new application markets:
· Smart consumer products for passive management of power grid demand,
· Non-internet server access for cyber attack mitigation,
· Geo-specific public safety instruction,
· Imminent-event critical utility shutdown.
Deployment Risk/Benefit Analysis:
The creation and use of a single network owned access gateway minimizes network engineering resources while maximizing syndication profits and eliminates network competition. The per Gig single source CB Access Gateway profit potential is impressive.
Implementation Challenges:
The primary challenge to implementation of revenue driven cell broadcast service is not technical, of economic drawbacks, it is political. A long history of misunderstanding the potential use benefits of point-to-multipoint functionality has left a significant lack of engineering and marketing familiarity and expertise. The CellBroadcastInc cooperative partnership is the result of over 20 years of dedicated cell broadcast promotion and development by the only independent recognized authorities and recognized authors of the cell broadcast gateway patented program interface in service by US operators, for providing the WEA Open Alert Gateway connectivity.
In addition there are technological challenges:
· There are numerous non-standard malware programs installed in operator terminal and base station devices. While the purpose of these Cell Broadcast masking programs is unknown, the carrier-owned gateway model should motivate the operators to resolve ‘manufactured’ Cell Broadcast implementation issues.
· The US Alert and Warning system is policy-driven providing participating networks no operational compensation for use of private assets by public agencies. This has resulted in less than optimal CB deployments.
Co-Op Partnership Structure:
Governing Members:
· Gateway Development Manager
· Industry Lead Partner
· Commercial Mobile Licensed Networks Participating Members:
· Industry Vendors
· Services Providers
· Syndication Clients
Gateway Technologies Members:
· IP Licensers
· Operating System Platform Management
· Interface Connective Provider(s)
Syndication Client Industry Members:
· Market development
Co-Op Partnership Duties:
· Development Manager
Operations Oversight
· Lead Industry Partner(s)
o Alliance Spokesperson
o Public Relations
o Business Development
o Development Coordinator
o Industry Promoter
· Commercial Mobile Members
o Exclusive CBC Connectivity Agreement
· Industry Vendors and services Providers
o Suppliers of critical infrastructure
· Syndication Clients
o Direction of Commercial Structure
o Cost/Benefit Analysis
o Market Development
· IP Licensees
o Gateway/Aggregator Patents
o Billing System Patents
o End-to-End Solutions
· Platform Operations
o Standards Compliance
o Secure Platform Management
o Proprietary data Formatting
o Network CBC Interface
· Interface Connection
o VPN Tunnels
· Brokerage
o Client services
Deployment Model Acceptance Factors:
· The Enterprise Gateway is technically a duplication of the operational platform interface used by the IBM Wireless Emergency Alert Open Gateway.
· Single CBC Interface Gateway Model (like the Open Gateway) requires minimal network resources
· A Single CBC Interface Gateway Model also maximizes Profit Potential by Eliminating cross-network and competing onramp options.
Proposed Ownership Structure:
· CellBroadcastInc Developer Partner Ownership; 13%
· Lead Industry Partner(s) 5%
· Participating Carrier Ownership; 50% to 65%*
· Operating System Provider Ownership 20% to 5%*
· Client Brokerage Ownership; 12%
· *Carrier shared ownership percentage is a function of the operating system platform provider cash/residual agreement.
Forward:
· National Development Rights assigned by CEASA Group for each Commercial Mobile Licensed market
· Development parameters and budget developed
· Lead Industry Partner(s) identified
· Co-Op Carrier Participants contracted
o Exclusive CBC Access Agreement contracts executed
o Ownership calculated based don Infrastructure, Spectrum, and Coverage
· Gateway Portal Implemented
o Licensing terms
o Operational agreements executed
o Client Brokerage Agent(s) contracted
· Commercial Operations launched