Contacts: Jeff Joseph tel: (703) 907-7664 email: jjoseph@ce.org	Jenny Miller tel: (703) 907 7079 email: jmiller@ce.org
CEA Welcomes DHS and NOAA Public Alert Memorandum of Agreement Public Alert Warning Process To Be Streamlined Allowing 24-7 National Warning Capability To Certified Devices Arlington, Virginia 6/17/2004

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) announced today by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) will result in a new, more efficient method for issuing local and national warnings and increase the value and effectiveness of Public Alert devices, said the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). Under today's agreement, DHS will have round-the-clock access to the NOAA All-Hazards Network, allowing emergency alerts related to homeland security to reach the American public via Public Alert devices.

"Faster notification results in safer consumers," said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. "The consumer electronics industry has shown tremendous commitment to this technology, devoting extensive resources to ensuring that our products, from radios to televisions to mobile phones, are able to receive Public Alert signals. The DHS-NOAA agreement will make Public Alert devices even more valuable to the consumer in the event of a local or national emergency."

Public Alert is a sophisticated outgrowth of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) through which warnings are broadcast at the discretion of the individual local and network broadcasters. In contrast, Public Alert devices provide commercial-free, on demand, local and national alert information 24 hours a day, and are triggered by warnings received directly from government sources. Since 2003 CEA and NOAA have collaborated on related industry standards and a corresponding Public Alert Certification and Logo Program for consumer electronics products equipped to receive the emergency messages.

The new government agreement also streamlines the warning notification process by enabling DHS to reach one NOAA operational center, which will then notify via satellite all 122 NOAA forecast offices simultaneously - rather than the current time and labor intensive process of notifying each office by phone or email. NOAA forecast offices would then activate transmitters tied to EAS, sounding the alert in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offices, government offices, and Public Alert certified consumer devices owned by American consumers.

In December 2003, CEA and its R3 Audio Systems Committee released CEA-2009, the "Receiver Performance Specification for Public Alert Receivers," which establishes voluntary industry standards for consumer electronics products designed to receive digital Public Alert signals. Following that standards-setting process, CEA also established a Public Alert certification and logo program that started appearing on products this spring.

More information about the features and benefits of Public Alert devices is available in a recently released CEA white paper titled "Public Alert: Delivers Emergency All-Hazard Warnings, Everywhere, All the Time." To obtain a copy, please contact Jenny Miller at jmiller@ce.org.

About CEA: The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the consumer technology industry through technology policy, events, research, promotion and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA represents more than 1,500 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of audio, video, mobile electronics, wireless and landline communications, information technology, home networking, multimedia and accessory products, as well as related services that are sold through consumer channels. Combined, CEA's members account for more than $90 billion in annual sales. CEA's resources are available online at www.CE.org, the definitive source for information about the consumer electronics industry. CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES - Defining Tomorrow's Technology. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research and legislative advocacy.