http://smh.com.au/articles/2005/10/06/1128562930005.html
The Dutch government has started testing a special warning system that will send text messages to mobile phones to alert the population in the event of a disaster.
The technology for the system, called 'cell broadcast', allows the authorities to send text messages to mobile phone users in a specific area. "The advantage of this system is that it allows us to send messages without having to know the phone numbers of the users in the region. Instead of sending a message to a specific known cell phone you can send a text to all cell phones in a specific zone," Frank Wassenaar of the Dutch interior ministry said. The cell broadcast system will be used in addition to the other warning systems in place to be used if disaster strikes, such as sirens and special emergency broadcasts on radio and television." [Snippet]
