Cell Phone Reports of Missile Attacks Coming in June

I know, I know, this is what you've always wanted: missile alerts on your cell phone.

Israel Defense Forces will announce Monday an NIS 27 million investment in a new cellular system that will alert citizens in case of a missile attack.

The cellular application, developed by Israeli high-tech company eViglio, in cooperation with Ericsson, is expected to be activated June 2011.

The project commenced following the Second Lebanon War and operation Cast Lead, during which Israel's home front was attacked by missiles, prompting the need for a national missile alert system.

eViglio won the bid to develop the system, which is part of effort made by IDF's Home Front Command to integrate all emergency alerts in Israel into one centralized system. eViglio's system allows alerts to be sent to cell phones, television and radio stations, web sites and billboards.

With the new system, alerts will be sent to different geographic regions according to the relevant threat. Home Front Command will be able to select a specific area and send a pre-programmed or free text message with the appropriate procedures for the home front.

The system enables sending alerts in several languages simultaneously (Hebrew, English, Russian, Arabic and Amharic), and can also be used to notify citizens in cases of natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes.

I wish we didn't need it, but if we need it, we may as well have it.

Labels: cell phone, eViglio, Home Front Command, missile alert

posted by Carl in Jerusalem

Don't Sleep with Your Cell Phone On

In the movie "Sword of Gideon" two Israeli assassins masqueraded as telephone repairmen. Entering the apartment of a Munich Massacre mastermind, they installed a small bomb in his telephone mouthpiece. After he arrived home, they made an explosive call.
The film impressed me to the point I sold my land line. Until last week I had used a cellular phone.
With the GPSS system, the Americans can locate any cell phone on earth. The ones owned by the FARC men served to guide the American smart bombs to their hideaway.
On Saturday I let my landlord steal my cell phone. If he keeps it charged, he might get a bang out of it.