§ 11.11   The Emergency Alert System (EAS).

   (a) The EAS is composed of analog radio broadcast stations including AM, FM,
   and Low-power FM (LPFM) stations; digital audio broadcasting (DAB) stations,
   including digital AM, FM, and Low-power FM stations; Class A television (CA)
   and  Low-power  TV (LPTV) stations; digital television (DTV) broadcast
   stations, including digital CA and digital LPTV stations; analog cable
   systems; digital cable systems which are defined for purposes of this part
   only as the portion of a cable system that delivers channels in digital
   format to subscribers at the input of a Unidirectional Digital Cable Product
   or other navigation device; wireline video systems; wireless cable systems
   which may consist of Broadband Radio Service (BRS), or Educational Broadband
   Service (EBS) stations; DBS services, as defined in § 25.701(a) of this
   chapter (including certain Ku-band Fixed-Satellite Service Direct to Home
   providers); and SDARS, as defined in § 25.201 of this chapter. These entities
   are referred to collectively as EAS Participants in this part, and are
   subject to this part, except as otherwise provided herein. At a minimum EAS
   Participants must use a common EAS protocol, as defined in § 11.31, to send
   and receive emergency alerts, and comply with the requirements set forth in
   § 11.56, in accordance with the following tables:

   Table  1—Analog  and  Digital  Broadcast  Station Equipment Deployment
   Requirements
   EAS equipment requirement AM & FM Digital AM & FM Analog & digital FM class
   D Analog &
   digital LPFM DTV Analog &
   digital class A TV Analog &
   digital LPTV
   EAS decoder^1 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
   EAS encoder Y Y N N Y Y N
   Audio message Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
   Video message N/A N/A N/A N/A Y Y Y

   ^1EAS Participants may comply with the obligations set forth in § 11.56 to
   decode  and convert CAP-formatted messages into EAS Protocol-compliant
   messages by deploying an Intermediary Device, as specified in § 11.56(b).

Analog Cable Systems

   Analog cable systems are subject to the requirements in Table 2 below.
   Analog cable systems serving fewer than 5,000 subscribers from a headend may
   either provide the National level EAS message on all programmed channels
   including the required testing, or comply with the requirements in Table 2.

   Table 2—Analog Cable System Equipment Deployment Requirements
   EAS equipment requirement ≥5,000
   subscribers <5,000
   subscribers
   EAS decoder^1 Y Y
   EAS encoder Y   Y^2
   Audio and Video EAS Message on all channels Y N
   Video interrupt and audio alert message on all channels;^3 Audio and Video
   EAS message on at least one channel N Y

   ^1EAS Participants may comply with the obligations set forth in § 11.56 to
   decode  and convert CAP-formatted messages into EAS Protocol-compliant
   messages by deploying an Intermediary Device, as specified in § 11.56(b).

   ^2Analog cable systems serving <5,000 subscribers are permitted to operate
   without an EAS encoder if they install an FCC-certified decoder.

   ^3The Video interrupt must cause all channels that carry programming to
   flash for the duration of the EAS emergency message. The audio alert must
   give the channel where the EAS messages are carried and be repeated for the
   duration of the EAS message. [Note: Programmed channels do not include
   channels used for the transmission of data such as interactive games.]

Wireless Cable Systems (BRS/EBS Stations)

   Wireless cable systems are subject to the requirements in Table 3 below.
   Wireless cable systems serving fewer than 5,000 subscribers from a single
   transmission site must either provide the National level EAS message on all
   programmed channels including the required testing, or comply with the
   requirements in Table 3.

   Table 3—Wireless Cable System Equipment Deployment Requirements
   EAS equipment requirement ≥5,000
   subscribers <5,000
   subscribers
   EAS decoder^1 Y Y
   EAS encoder Y   Y^2
   Audio and Video EAS Message on all channels^3 Y N
   Video interrupt and audio alert message on all channels;^4 Audio and Video
   EAS message on at least one channel N Y

   ^1EAS Participants may comply with the obligations set forth in § 11.56 to
   decode  and convert CAP-formatted messages into EAS Protocol-compliant
   messages by deploying an Intermediary Device, as specified in § 11.56(b).

   ^2Wireless cable systems serving <5,000 subscribers are permitted to operate
   without an EAS encoder if they install an FCC-certified decoder.

   ^3All wireless cable systems may comply with this requirement by providing a
   means to switch all programmed channels to a predesignated channel that
   carries the required audio and video EAS messages.

   ^4The Video interrupt must cause all channels that carry programming to
   flash for the duration of the EAS emergency message. The audio alert must
   give the channel where the EAS messages are carried and be repeated for the
   duration of the EAS message. [Note: Programmed channels do not include
   channels used for the transmission of data services such as Internet.]

Digital Cable Systems and Wireline Video Systems

   Digital  cable systems and Wireline Video Systems must comply with the
   requirements in Table 4 below. Digital cable systems and Wireline Video
   Systems serving fewer than 5,000 subscribers from a headend must either
   provide the National level EAS message on all programmed channels including
   the required testing, or comply with the requirements in Table 4.

   Table 4—Digital Cable System and Wireline Video System Equipment Deployment
   Requirements
   EAS equipment requirement ≥5,000
   subscribers <5,000
   subscribers
   EAS decoder^1 Y Y
   EAS encoder Y   Y^2
   Audio and Video EAS Message on all channels^3 Y N
   Video interrupt and audio alert message on all channels;^4 Audio and Video
   EAS message on at least one channel N Y

   ^1EAS Participants may comply with the obligations set forth in § 11.56 to
   decode  and convert CAP-formatted messages into EAS Protocol-compliant
   messages by deploying an Intermediary Device, as specified in § 11.56(b).

   ^2Digital  cable  systems  and  wireline  video systems serving <5,000
   subscribers are permitted to operate without an EAS encoder if they install
   an FCC-certified decoder.

   ^3All digital cable systems and wireline video systems may comply with this
   requirement by providing a means to switch all programmed channels to a
   predesignated  channel  that  carries the required audio and video EAS
   messages.

   ^4The Video interrupt must cause all channels that carry programming to
   flash for the duration of the EAS emergency message. The audio alert must
   give the channel where the EAS messages are carried and be repeated for the
   duration of the EAS message. [Note: Programmed channels do not include
   channels  used  for the transmission of data services such as Internet
   access.]

   SDARS and DBS
      EAS equipment requirement    SDARS DBS
   EAS decoder^1                     Y    Y
   EAS encoder                       Y    Y
   Audio message on all channels^2   Y    Y
   Video message on all channels^2  N/A   Y

   ^1EAS Participants may comply with the obligations set forth in § 11.56 to
   decode  and convert CAP-formatted messages into EAS Protocol-compliant
   messages by deploying an Intermediary Device, as specified in § 11.56(b).

   ^2All SDARS and DBS providers may comply with this requirement by providing
   a means to switch all programmed channels to a predesignated channel that
   carries the required audio and video EAS messages or by any other method
   that ensures that viewers of all channels receive the EAS message.

   (b) Analog class D non-commercial educational FM stations as defined in
   § 73.506 of this chapter, digital class D non-commercial educational FM
   stations, analog LPFM stations as defined in § § 73.811 and 73.853 of this
   chapter,  digital  LPFM  stations,  analog LPTV stations as defined in
   § 74.701(f), and digital LPTV stations as defined in § 74.701(k) of this
   chapter are not required to comply with § 11.32. Analog and digital LPTV
   stations  that operate as television broadcast translator stations, as
   defined in § 74.701(b) of this chapter, are not required to comply with the
   requirements of this part. FM broadcast booster stations as defined in
   § 74.1201(f)  of  this chapter and FM translator stations as defined in
   § 74.1201(a) of this chapter which entirely rebroadcast the programming of
   other  local FM broadcast stations are not required to comply with the
   requirements of this part. International broadcast stations as defined in
   § 73.701 of this chapter are not required to comply with the requirements of
   this part. Analog and digital broadcast stations that operate as satellites
   or repeaters of a hub station (or common studio or control point if there is
   no hub station) and rebroadcast 100 percent of the programming of the hub
   station (or common studio or control point) may satisfy the requirements of
   this  part through the use of a single set of EAS equipment at the hub
   station (or common studio or control point) which complies with § § 11.32 and
   11.33.

   (c) For purposes of the EAS, Broadband Radio Service (BRS) and Educational
   Broadband Service (EBS) stations operated as part of wireless cable systems
   in accordance with subpart M of part 27 of this chapter are defined as
   follows:

   (1) A “wireless cable system” is a collection of channels in the BRS or EBS
   used to provide video programming services to subscribers. The channels may
   be licensed to or leased by the wireless cable system operator.

   (2) A “wireless cable operator” is the entity that has acquired the right to
   use the channels of a wireless cable system for transmission of programming
   to subscribers.

   (d) Local franchise authorities may use any EAS codes authorized by the FCC
   in any agreements.

   (e) Other technologies and public service providers, such as low earth
   orbiting satellites, that wish to participate in the EAS may contact the
   FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau or their State Emergency
   Communications Committee for information and guidance.

   [ 63 FR 29662 , June 1, 1998, as amended at  65 FR 7639 , Feb. 15, 2000;  65 FR 21657 , Apr. 24, 2000;  65 FR 30001 , May 10, 2000;  65 FR 34406 , May 30, 2000;
    67 FR 18506 , Apr. 16, 2002;  69 FR 72031 , Dec. 10, 2004;  70 FR 19315 , Apr.
   13, 2005;  70 FR 71031 , Nov. 25, 2005;  71 FR 76220 , Dec. 20, 2006;  72 FR 62132 , Nov. 2, 2007;  77 FR 16699 , Mar. 22, 2012]

   return arrow Back to Top