HELSINKI, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Sweden will launch a nationwide emergency alert system using cell broadcast technology to improve public warnings during crises and wartime, the government said on Thursday.
Two national agencies have been tasked with implementing the new system, SE Alert, which is expected to reach up to 95 percent of the population once fully deployed, the government said in a statement.
The service will complement existing channels including SMS alerts, radio, television, and the country's outdoor siren network known as "Hesa Fredrik," it said.
Unlike SMS, which can be unreliable for mass alerts due to network congestion, cell broadcast technology allows authorities to send messages to mobile phones within a defined geographic area or nationwide. The system, which places minimal demand on mobile networks, is already in use in several countries.
The move follows criticism of the current SMS-based system after the Oceana fire in Gothenburg last year, when only 40,000 residents reportedly received an initial alert due to overloaded mobile networks.
The government aims to have SE Alert operational across Sweden within a year.
