The Ministry of Communications on April 10, 2023, published the Indian Wireless Telegraphy (Cell Broadcasting Service for Disaster Alerts) Rules, 2023
This shall come into force on April 10, 2023
The following has been stated namely: -
• It has defined various definitions such as "feature phone”, "smartphone”, and "cell broadcast”.
• It states that with effect after six months of the commencement of these rules, no manufacturer shall manufacture or sell in India, any smartphone or feature phone without having the following facilities, namely: -
(a) mandatory support to receive cell broadcast messages in English & Hindi languages.
(b) storing received cell broadcast messages for at least twenty-four hours, subject to the memory of the feature phone.
(c) maintaining cell broadcast messages on the screen until acknowledged by the user.
(d) alert sound, vibration, and light duration for at least thirty seconds.
(e) the mandatory mention of cell broadcast capability in the feature list and user manuals to increase customer awareness.
• It states that with effect after nine months of the commencement of these rules, no manufacturer shall manufacture or sell in India, the smartphone or feature phone without having the following facilities, namely: -
(a) mandatory receipt of extreme cell broadcast alert messages and the mandatory receipt of severe cell broadcast alert messages may be explored
(b) automatic read out of the cell broadcast messages in an Indian accent, in English & Hindi languages, subject to the memory of the feature phones
• It states that after the twelve months of the commencement of these rules, no manufacturer shall manufacture or sell in India, the smartphone or feature phone without having mandatory support to receive cell broadcast messages and automatically read out such messages in an Indian accent, in all Indian languages as per Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India, subject to the memory of the feature phone.
• It states that within six months of the commencement of these rules, the manufacturer of the mobile phone handset and the mobile handset operating system developer shall explore that the smartphone, which has been sold in India within four years prior to such commencement, have the facility to receive cell broadcast messages and auto read out feature, in all Indian languages as per Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.
[Notification No. G.S.R. 278(E)]
