AT&T adds emergency alert system to iPhone 5 and 4S with software update [u]
America's second-largest wireless carrier AT&T on Friday announced it will be pushing out an update to subscribers who own an iPhone 5 or 4S, with the new software supporting an FCC-mandated Wireless Emergency Alert system.
Update: Readers are reporting the iPhone 4 is also receiving the OTA update in some areas.

AT&T said it will begin rolling out the software update for Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) today, which will allow iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S owners to receive government-issued safety messages in the form of text-like messages.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission, non-profit trade organization for the wireless industry CTIA, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have cooperated to create the WEA system. As noted on the CTIA's website, WEA-capable mobile devices began receiving alerts in April 2012.
There are three types of alerts:
According to AT&T, iPhones running 6.1 or later will have the update automatically downloaded and installed over the air, while those running an older iOS will have to connect to iTunes.
Update: Readers are reporting the iPhone 4 is also receiving the OTA update in some areas.

AT&T said it will begin rolling out the software update for Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) today, which will allow iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S owners to receive government-issued safety messages in the form of text-like messages.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission, non-profit trade organization for the wireless industry CTIA, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have cooperated to create the WEA system. As noted on the CTIA's website, WEA-capable mobile devices began receiving alerts in April 2012.
There are three types of alerts:
- Presidential Alerts ? Alerts issued by the President or a designee;
- Imminent Threat Alerts ? Alerts that include severe man-made or natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc., where an imminent threat to life or property exists; and
- AMBER Alerts? Alerts that meet the U.S. Department of Justice's criteria to help law enforcement search for and locate an abducted child.
According to AT&T, iPhones running 6.1 or later will have the update automatically downloaded and installed over the air, while those running an older iOS will have to connect to iTunes.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by josephwinters
You don't have to participate. You can turn it off. Sheesh
Yeah. Some people just like to whine.
too bad the high-priced highly-skilled appleinsider wordsmiths weren't on the ball enough to mention that it was optional. "push" kind of seems contrary to "optional".
and are not those who whine about whiners therefore themselves whiners?
I have noticed that since iTunes recent update, to v11.0.4,
my iPhone 5 and iPad Mini "backups" (automatically done prior to a sync),
are taking 8 to 9 minutes long, then the syncs are lickity-split, quick.
Under iTunes ~v10.0, through v11.0.3, the same "backups" were less than One minute long.
Anyone else seeing that?
BTW,
I was just prompted about the AT&T carrier update, when I just connected my iPhone 5 to iTunes for a sync.
Try reading, or at least look at the pictures, it is optional.
Try saying that fast 5 times
I'm so f'king tired of the seeming 10s of millions dumbass Americans who couldn't pick their own nose without help claiming everything is unconstitutional this and unconstitutional that.
Please cite specifically the language in them constitution that would forbid this activity and cite the court decisions backing up your typically dumbass opinion.
The way I read this, they are rolling out an update on the AT&T network to allow the network to receive and carry these alerts. They are not touching your iPhone or its IOS.
Wonder when it is hacked and whole herd receives some panic messages during market hours, which crashes the market for couple of minutes and panics people around the US!
The uninformed conspiracy theorists are already out claiming the government is using this to spy on you and whatnot. The EAS doesn't receive any data, it only sends a broadcasts a signal whenever there's an emergency, like for a tornado or something. It's specifically designed this way so it doesn't clog up the cell towers with data in a real emergency.
It's like when you're listening to the radio and you hear the alert tones for the Emergency Alert System. You don't magically gain the ability to spy on anybody listening to a radio.
You don't haft to, Pay closer attention (you are considered a troll likely now)
All that said, I noticed when I switched to T-Mobile I have receive some emergency weather messages already. In fact, I was sitting in a restaurant about a month ago when I heard their radio give the emergency tone and read off a flood alert warning message. My phone immediately popped up the same emergency alert.
Big deal. This was on my ATT ICS two plus year Galaxy phone, two years ago.