Thus, one Cell Broadcast message can reach a huge number of terminals
[a] at once. In other words, Cell Broadcast messages are directed to radio cells, rather than to a specific terminal. A Cell Broadcast message is an unconfirmed push service, meaning that the originator of the message does not know who has received the message, allowing for services based on anonymity. Mobile telephone user manuals describe how the user can switch the receiving of Cell Broadcast messages on or off.
Cell Broadcast is not as affected by traffic load; therefore, it may be
usable during a disaster when load spikes (
mass call events) tend to crash networks, as the
7 July 2005 London bombings showed. Another example was during the Tsunami catastrophe in Asia. Dialog GSM, an operator in
Sri Lanka was able to provide ongoing emergency information to its subscribers, to warn of incoming waves, to give news updates, to direct people to supply and distribution centres, and even to arrange donation collections using Celltick's Cell Broadcast Center, based on Cell Broadcast Technology.
Cell broadcast is widely deployed since year 2008. The major European operators have deployed the technology in their networks. In Pakistan,
Telenor PK is the first network to use this option country wide. Telenor Pakistan provides location indicator service branded as
Auto Location.
WaridTel also uses this option but not nation wide and displays offers only.
Cell Broadcast is a mobile technology that allows messages (up to 15 pages of up to 93 characters) to be broadcast to all mobile handsets and similar devices
within a designated geographical area. The broadcast range can be varied, from a single cell to the entire network.