AIS and NBTC Confirm Readiness of Cell Broadcast System on Android and iOS
The telecom operator and NBTC urge iPhone users to update to iOS 18 for emergency alerts
AIS, in collaboration with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), has conducted a successful test of the mobile emergency alert system “Cell Broadcast,” now compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones. The test confirmed that alerts could be delivered across both platforms following Apple’s recent rollout of Cell Broadcast support in iOS 18 for iPhone users in Thailand. AIS recommends that all iPhone users promptly update their devices to iOS 18 to ensure they can receive emergency alerts.
This marks a significant step forward in enhancing Thailand’s national emergency alert readiness, enabling timely communication of critical information to the public. The test was conducted at the NBTC auditorium on Friday, April 18, 2025, and was attended by Trairat Viriyasirikul, Acting Secretary-General of NBTC; Waroonthep Watcharaporn, Head of Business Relations, AIS; and Wasit Wattanasap, Head of Nationwide Operations and Support Business Unit, AIS.
Currently, while the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) is developing the Cell Broadcast Entity (CBE) — the government’s command and control system — the agency has requested the cooperation of mobile operators to disseminate emergency alerts via two systems:
1. Cell Broadcast Service (CBS) via operators
- Available on Android smartphones running version 12 or higher
- Available on iPhones running iOS 18
** Note: CBS is not supported on:
- 2G and 3G devices
- iPhone X (10) smartphones or earlier that cannot be updated to iOS 18
2. SMS System
- Still necessary to send SMS messages to address the limitations of the CBS, which is not compatible with 2G, 3G phones and iPhone X (10) smartphones or earlier
- DDPM will manage the SMS dispatches, including the alert message content, targeted locations, and provinces. Messages will be sent through SMS Sender Names such as “DDPM” (Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation) and “TMD” (Thai Meteorological Department).
