Mystic Alerts Act

Mystic Alerts Act This bill provides for wireless emergency alerts to be transmitted to mobile devices via satellite. (Currently, wireless emergency alerts are sent via terrestrial mobile networks to individual devices in geographically targeted areas. Commercial mobile service providers are not required to participate; only devices connected to a participating service provider’s network receive alerts.) Under the bill, commercial mobile service providers that participate in the wireless emergency alerts system must give notice to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) indicating whether they will transmit such alerts via satellite (in addition to sending alerts via terrestrial networks). The FCC must establish technical standards and other regulations to enable satellite emergency alerts. Providers that opt to transmit emergency alerts via satellite must comply with such regulations. If a provider elects not to transmit satellite alerts, the provider must give notice of that election to new and existing subscribers. Separately, mobile service subscribers may opt out of receiving satellite alerts.

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS).