FOCUS: Government orders connection operators to alert people of emergencies

By Yekaterina Yezhova

MOSCOW, Jun 19 (PRIME) -- Russian mobile operators now must alert their subscribers of emergency situations that are looming or have already happened, according to a law signed by President Vladimir Putin earlier in June. Analysts say the initiative, which is effectively used abroad, may force operators to invest in an infrastructure upgrade, but costs are still hard to weigh.

“Connection operators must ensure a free transfer to users of connection services, and in case of terrestrial television and radio broadcasting, of signals of warning or urgent information on dangers appearing in case of or occurring because of force majeure, as well as military activities or due to these activities, of rules of behavior for the population and the necessity to take measures of protection,” says the law, which will come in force in early July.

Similar obligations are imposed on mass media, which must alert people immediately and for free. The government will elaborate an order of notifying of subscribers shortly.

According to mass media, mobile operators were rapped on the knuckles in May for having failed to duly notify Moscow subscribers of a looming hurricane, which caused 16 deaths and multiple injuries.

According to researcher AC&M, Moscow’s mobile subscriber base, seen by active SIM cards, increased 3.3% in 2016 to 44.6 million clients. The nationwide mobile subscriber base added 1.5% in 2016 to 255.6 million users.

Brokerage BCS said that “sticking to the new rules will most likely demand an upgrade of infrastructure, and these expenses are hard to value at present.”

Alpari senior analyst Anna Bodrova told PRIME that a warning system of the Emergency Situations Ministry initially functioned in a following manner: the ministry acted as a customer under agreements with the country’s main connection operators and handed over the required information, while the operators were responsible for its further distribution and technical details.

“The initial rules obliged telecom operators to notify people by SMSs within 10 minutes, while the operators chose the technology of alert and the means of delivery,” she said.

“The interactive cell broadcast (ICB) system has been widely used so far as it helps send out several million messages per unit of time, or instantly. These can be pop-up messages, banners or other types of alerts. It takes about 10 minutes to mail out an SMS of some 120 characters, though there is a certain sample for every situation, to about 500,000 subscribers.”

For more massive mailouts, operators use interactive voice response (IVR) systems, voice alert, and SMSs, and it can take up to an hour, the analyst said, adding that the landscape and gadget features also play an important role.

Mobile operator VimpelCom’s PR manager Diana Evstigneeva said an operator’s obligation to warn of emergencies is already stipulated in existing regulations and licenses.

“Operators inform people by sending SMSs to their phones. Connection operators can also use cell broadcast additionally. Such warnings are free for subscribers. We already cooperate with the Emergency Situations Ministry depending on the current technical possibilities of our networks and, being conscious of social importance, we’re ready to follow the order set forward by the government,” she told PRIME.

A spokesperson for mobile operator MegaFon said “we send out SMSs in compliance with requirements of the Emergency Situations Ministry depending on a zone, time, and a text of messages.”

Bodrova at Alpari said that MegaFon’s capacities, for example, allow the operator to warn people within a certain radius of the affected zone, and “all subscribers within the radius of up to 300 meters from the chosen point will be alerted.”

“It’s usual practice for foreign authorities in charge of emergencies to cooperate with connection operators closely. The custom is well established in the U.S.,” the analyst said.

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