"Warning agent mix"

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On October 5, a siren test was supplemented by the new AT Alert, which activates acoustic signals and text messages on cell phones.

(Bild: APA/MAX SLOVENCIK)

In the event of a disaster, other digital receivers in addition to cell phones will be used to warn people in Austria in future. Digital radios or digital display boards, for example, could soon be sending out warnings, the Austrian Broadcasting and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority RTR announced on Wednesday.

Already on October 5, a siren test was supplemented by the new AT-Alert, which activated acoustic signals and text messages on cell phones. With the introduction of the mobile phone technology "Cell Broadcast", which makes the AT-Alert possible, Austria is now complying with an EU regulation for electronic communication, according to representatives of the Ministry of the Interior. Although testing is still underway, the AT-Alert has already been triggered fourteen times since October 5 due to storms and once due to a fire in Lower Austria.

"Broad mix of warning media"
The aim is now a broad mix of warning media. In addition to traditional means of communication such as siren alarms and ORF, DAB+-compatible devices, passenger information displays and apps such as Facebook, X and the Vienna app will be used to inform the public in an emergency.

The aim is to "always reach 100 percent of those affected", says Roman Bayer, project manager for the AT-Alert at the Ministry of the Interior. However, the functionality of the "Cell Broadcast" will be limited to affected areas. The RTR website warnung.at-alert.at will provide an overview of alerts throughout Austria.

According to Bayer, the broadcast system is anonymous and data cannot be traced. "No login, no download, no registration" is necessary to receive AT alerts. Triggering alerts will only be permitted on behalf of the authorities, added Hermann Bühler, who is responsible for the conceptual design of AT-Alerts.

Apart from English, there are no plans for the alerts to be multilingual, as they are usually written spontaneously.