Weather alerts

**troshs** · 07-02-2012, 12:45 PM

Okay, so an announcement on NOAA http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/wea.html states that the Emergency Alert Messages are now active. This means that for those of us who have 7.1 (I downloaded a few days ago), our EAS folders should be working. However, on AT&T's website, (I can't seem to get to it without logging in) it states that if your phone is capable of receiving these alerts, it will have a logo on it which looks like the one on the left side of this page:
Wireless Emergency Alerts on Your Mobile Device
and it will have info in the starter books about it. Question is though, since we have 7.1 does it actually work? I've found nothing that says my Torch is capable...matter of fact all I see is that every NEW phone they are selling is capable. So is our EAS folder actually useless or has anyone gotten alerts?
Especially those carriers who haven't gotten an official update for 7.1 or perhaps never will (ahem, AT&T).

**Pete6** · 07-02-2012, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by troshs

Okay, so an announcement on NOAA http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/wea.html states that the Emergency Alert Messages are now active. This means that for those of us who have 7.1 (I downloaded a few days ago), our EAS folders should be working. However, on AT&T's website, (I can't seem to get to it without logging in) it states that if your phone is capable of receiving these alerts, it will have a logo on it which looks like the one on the left side of this page:
Wireless Emergency Alerts on Your Mobile Device
and it will have info in the starter books about it. Question is though, since we have 7.1 does it actually work? I've found nothing that says my Torch is capable...matter of fact all I see is that every NEW phone they are selling is capable. So is our EAS folder actually useless or has anyone gotten alerts?
Especially those carriers who haven't gotten an official update for 7.1 or perhaps never will (ahem, AT&T).

This may be a function of AT&T and even then it may just be Service Book related. This assumes that AT&T have enabled the correct Service Book(s) correctly and have them available for download i.e. their services is running.

So, try re-sending your Service Books again. To do this, go to Options, Device, Advanced System ost Routing Table, now press menu and select Register Now. This will request a new set of Service Books be sent from the AT&T BIS server to your phone.

If this does not enable the service then I think that you need to talk to AT&T. Will they understand. Probably not...

**troshs** · 07-02-2012, 03:12 PM

Thanks Pete, your answers are always really helpful. It just raised the question in my mind when I got curious one day. I'll try to resend my service books, I doubt AT&T will give a dangola about anything (like I said today, I'll probably just get an iPhone pitched to me.

) I can try though. The last time I told them I had a leaked version the guy on the phone wasn't too happy but he basically told me it was my choice.

**Pete6** · 07-02-2012, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by troshs

Thanks Pete, your answers are always really helpful. It just raised the question in my mind when I got curious one day. I'll try to resend my service books, I doubt AT&T will give a dangola about anything (like I said today, I'll probably just get an iPhone pitched to me.

) I can try though. The last time I told them I had a leaked version the guy on the phone wasn't too happy but he basically told me it was my choice.

Resending the Service Books will just verify whether AT&T have yet enabled the service.

Talking to AT&T is always fun. As you have probably guessed I live in the UK. However our (Mrs. Pete6 and me) son (now and American citizen) lives in Charlotte NC and we commute three times a year and are in the process of acquiring Green Cards. I have had occasion to talk to the dweebs who answer phones at both AT&T and Verizon. We have the same morons here in the UK too so the mentality is easy to understand. The trick is to get past the 1st level support to techs who can actually stand upright on their back legs - at least for a while...

The trick, I found was to keep asking hard questions and to be incredibly polite about it (they luuuv my accent

). Once you get to 2nd toer support you should get an answer. Leastways, I did.

I hope this works for you. You may find that AT&T has just not worked up the enthusiam to implement the service yet so you may just get and estimate as to when.

Finally look on the AT&T website. I saw a forum there but compared to the anarchy of CrackBerry - love it - the place looked very quite.

**kraski** · 07-02-2012, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by troshs

Okay, so an announcement on NOAA http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/wea.html states that the Emergency Alert Messages are now active. This means that for those of us who have 7.1 (I downloaded a few days ago), our EAS folders should be working. However, on AT&T's website, (I can't seem to get to it without logging in) it states that if your phone is capable of receiving these alerts, it will have a logo on it which looks like the one on the left side of this page:
Wireless Emergency Alerts on Your Mobile Device
and it will have info in the starter books about it. Question is though, since we have 7.1 does it actually work? I've found nothing that says my Torch is capable...matter of fact all I see is that every NEW phone they are selling is capable. So is our EAS folder actually useless or has anyone gotten alerts?
Especially those carriers who haven't gotten an official update for 7.1 or perhaps never will (ahem, AT&T).

If nothing else suggested does the job, BeWeather will optionally do the same alerts.

**troshs** · 07-03-2012, 10:54 PM

Yep, just wondered. I figured that the software might not be enough, sometimes you have to have special hardware too (like in weather radios). Speaking of which, a thundy-storm is coming right now so BeWeather will be blowing up in a few minutes I suppose.

**kraski** · 07-03-2012, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by troshs

Yep, just wondered. I figured that the software might not be enough, sometimes you have to have special hardware too (like in weather radios). Speaking of which, a thundy-storm is coming right now so BeWeather will be blowing up in a few minutes I suppose.

AFAIK, they get the same alerts from the same NOAA source as everyone else. I wouldn't expect more than a second or two difference in broadcast. When I've had a chance to compare, the BeWeather alerts are exactly the same as what NOAA has online on its own site. The news is predicting 6-8am thunderstorms, here in MD. But also saying there aren't even watches, never mind warnings. So, there may not be any alerts. It's not the same kind of storm that swept all the way from Ohio to the east coast. And shouldn't add to the 115,000 that are still without power in MD.

**yingjiany** · 07-04-2012, 09:14 AM

I can try though. The last time I told them I had a leaked version the guy on the phone wasn't too happy but he basically told me it was my choice.

**troshs** · 07-04-2012, 10:03 AM

Yep. Most of what I am mentioning though is the National Emergency Alerts and Presidential messages. Will BeWeather transmit those too? I know the folder doesn't broadcast severe thunderstorm warnings, only nearby disaster and civil emergency messages and such. I can get by without it, it was just a question that popped up in my mind I wondered if anybody else was wondering about it too.

**qbnkelt** · 07-04-2012, 11:12 AM

BeWeather transmits alerts, but I frankly prefer the less fancy The Weather Channel.

I was surprised at how well it behaves in my Skyrocket and my iPad. Unfortunately, I'm in love with the way BeWeather displays on my Torch so I'm likely to keep it.

All in all, I was very disappointed that AT&T's system did not work at all last weekend. Would have been nice to know all h3ll and damnation was going to come down on me!!!!

**hytran** · 07-04-2012, 12:06 PM

This may be over the top for some, but...

I use InterWARN on my PC, which sends alerts to my BlackBerry e-mail address. I always get alerts well before BeWeather and sometimes even before the NOAA radio goes off. It also allows more granular control of what alerts I do and don't receive. BeWeather hasn't shown a single alert for heat even though we've got an advisory, watch and a warning today...

**kraski** · 07-04-2012, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Qbnkelt

BeWeather transmits alerts, but I frankly prefer the less fancy The Weather Channel.

I was surprised at how well it behaves in my Skyrocket and my iPad. Unfortunately, I'm in love with the way BeWeather displays on my Torch so I'm likely to keep it.

All in all, I was very disappointed that AT&T's system did not work at all last weekend. Would have been nice to know all h3ll and damnation was going to come down on me!!!!

BeWeather gave me the necessary warnings. It sounds like you and I match on weather app preferences. I like TWC for forecasts and expanded info, but it doesn't give me the warnings highlighted so I pay attention. Unless I'm missing some setting that turns that on. BeWeather works nicely for that.

As for the h-e-double-hockey-sticks, I think your area got hit worse than we did. But I was quite happy I live where I do. Power went off 6 times, but only for seconds. Minimal tree damage. Typical for weather disasters. I'm far enough below the top of the hill that I seem to get protection from the hill. And far enough up the hill that I only get water in the basement if my stairwell drain is blocked with leaves. Plus the hill seems to be angled right to divert some of it away.

**kraski** · 07-04-2012, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by troshs

Yep. Most of what I am mentioning though is the National Emergency Alerts and Presidential messages. Will BeWeather transmit those too? I know the folder doesn't broadcast severe thunderstorm warnings, only nearby disaster and civil emergency messages and such. I can get by without it, it was just a question that popped up in my mind I wondered if anybody else was wondering about it too.

I don't know of any other way to get national non-weather alerts. Someone else here might know. Although I suspect that this kind of situation you'll know about before there's an alert. As for local stuff, check with your local governments. Here in Baltimore, we have a system of alerts from the police and the city via text and/or email. Which gets me suspect photos sent to my phone and updates on emergencies like to massive power outage that's slowly getting fixed.

**hubermania** · 07-06-2012, 12:06 PM

My hometown has an e-notification system like kraski describes. Unfortunately I've found the local authorities lag behind BeWeather. Usually a regional tornado warning will come across BeWeather long before the local fire department cranks up the siren and triggers e-notification. The city doesn't even issue notifications for most watches, warnings, or Red Flag alerts.