Re: NDAA passed: Internet and Online Streaming Services Emergency Alert Study

[Brandon Martin <lists.nanog () monmotha net>]

On 1/5/21 7:29 PM, Chris Adams wrote:
> I don't know if an unsubscribed cell phone gets the emergency alerts (I
> know you are supposed to be able to call 911 from any cell phone, even
> if not carrying paid service).  If so, that'd be another cheap way to
> get alerts.

They pretty much universally should as long as they still have a SIM in 
them (or are eSIM/ESN-only devices) to give them some idea of their 
preferred network to which to register.  Even if not, they're supposed 
to register with the "best network available" for emergency calling and 
alerting only, though I'm not sure how robust that is.

I have definitely received SMS-broadcast emergency alerts on an 
"inactive" phone that was on and not in airplane mode for various 
reasons, so it does seem to work.  It was a CDMA2000 ESN-only device, 
though, so still had provisioning info.  I usually keep such devices in 
airplane mode, if they're still in use, though, and obviously then the 
cell radio is inactive so no alerts.