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A Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) is a short emergency message sent by participating wireless providers to compatible phones in an affected area. Authorized officials send the alert through FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS); the phone receives it over a participating cellular network.
What does WEA mean on a phone?
WEA stands for Wireless Emergency Alert. It is a public-safety alert channel for mobile phones, used to warn people about certain emergencies or threats in a targeted area. FEMA’s IPAWS Glossary describes alerts being broadcast to provider customers near cellular towers serving the affected area.
WEA is not an ordinary text message sent to a list of phone numbers. Officials issue an alert for an area, and participating wireless providers broadcast it to compatible devices in that area. You do not generally need to sign up for WEA as you would for an agency’s text-alert service.
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An authorized federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial alerting authority creates an emergency alert.
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The alert is routed through IPAWS, the national system that supports multiple public-alert delivery channels.
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Participating wireless providers broadcast the WEA to compatible phones in the targeted area, using cellular towers serving that area.
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Coverage depends on the affected area, the participating provider’s service and the phone’s support for WEA. FEMA’s wireless alert information and provider guidance describe provider and device considerations. A particular alert’s arrival is not guaranteed solely because a phone is physically near an incident.
Is WEA the same as IPAWS?
No. IPAWS is the broader alerting system; WEA is one way it can deliver an alert. IPAWS can also distribute alerts through the Emergency Alert System (EAS), NOAA Weather Radio, internet services and other technologies.
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| Channel | How it delivers alerts | Typical receiver |
|---|---|---|
| WEA | Broadcast by participating wireless providers to compatible phones in a targeted area | WEA-compatible mobile phone on a participating network |
| EAS | Delivered through broadcast and related media | Radio, television and other participating media |
| NOAA Weather Radio | Broadcast over a separate radio-based alert channel | NOAA Weather Radio receiver |
These channels are distinct: a NOAA Weather Radio is not a WEA receiver, and a subscription to an ordinary text-message alert service is not required to receive WEA. Their availability depends on their respective delivery infrastructure and receiving equipment.
Will every phone receive WEA?
No. The phone must support WEA, and its wireless provider must participate and provide service in the relevant area. The exact behavior and features also depend on the phone’s manufacturer, model and supported WEA version. Check current compatibility details with your carrier and the phone manufacturer; FEMA notes that provider-maintained compatibility information can change.
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FEMA’s January 2022 handset and provider capabilities guide describes these version capabilities:
| WEA version | Capabilities described by FEMA in January 2022 |
|---|---|
| WEA 1.0 | Text messages up to 90 characters |
| WEA 2.0 | 90- and 360-character messages; optional Spanish |
| WEA 3.0 | Device-based geofencing |
These are version-level capabilities, not a promise that every phone supports every feature. Device-based geofencing can also involve uncertainty when location services are disabled.
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Why did I receive a WEA test?
A WEA may be a test rather than a warning about an actual emergency. FEMA’s September 2024 IPAWS Tip #28 says that, beginning in July 2024, participating commercial mobile service providers must support up to two live WEA tests per county or county equivalent per calendar year. Such public tests should be clearly identified as tests and coordinated with relevant officials. The guidance also distinguishes these from state or local test messages, which appear only on phones opted in to receive them. Read the message wording and check any public notice from local officials if you are unsure whether an alert is a test.
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