Summary

GAO reviewed the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) new rule on the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS). GAO found that (1) the final rule requires non-commercial education and public broadcast television station licensees and permittees to install equipment and technologies that will provide these licensees/permittees with the ability to enable the distribution of geo-targeted CMAS alerts to participating Commercial Mobile Service (CMS) providers, as well as requiring technical testing for CMS providers that elect to transmit emergency alerts and for the devices and equipment used by such providers for transmitting such alerts; and (2) FCC complied with applicable requirements in promulgating the rule.