Regulators want to make emergency alerts on cellphones more useful by requiring wireless carriers to distribute them less widely. The Federal Communications Commission says carriers must transmit the alerts to more specific locations, rather than broadly. The fear is that consumers will disregard alerts if they come too often or don't address an emergency in their immediate area. Except for messages from the president, phone users can choose to stop receiving them. By May 2019, wireless providers also have to support alerts in Spanish and longer alerts — up to 360 characters, from 90.

Source: ABC News January 30, 2018 20:54 UTC