16 June 2005

BRUSSELS — Interior Minister Patrick Dewael plans to warn every Belgian resident via SMS in times of national emergencies.

The Liberal VLD minister plans to modernise the nation's current alarm system and believes sending a mobile phone text message to every resident is the most efficient manner.

However, traditional mediums for alerting the public such as sirens, radio and television will still play a role in future, newspaper 'Het Nieuwsblad' reported on Wednesday.

"Sending an SMS is very quick. You can send short messages, such as: 'Keep windows and doors shut'," Dewael said.

Such a system is legally and technically possible, but it is too early to estimate the costs. The system is called 'cell-broadcast'.

Telecoms companies already use such technology to welcome mobile phone users with a text message when they cross an international border.

The customer is sent a message without the telecoms firm knowing his or her phone number.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Belgian news