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The EWF Emergency Warning Functionality is a combination of different services such as Alarm Announcement, Service Linking, Program Associated Data and Non-PAD, and can distribute multimedia and multilingual information. The EWB procedure is also compatible with all old DAB receivers. Modern receivers are also switched on automatically with EWB and can display information via other data services.

A warning system developed by Fraunhofer IIS called EWF (Emergency Warning Functionality) for DAB+ digital radio devices could have warned people of disasters, even if the radio was switched off. If mobile internet fails, warning messages can no longer be received via smartphones.

If a disaster occurs, the mobile phone networks are quickly overloaded or no longer available. The public must therefore be informed via an independent infrastructure. DAB offers a robust and well-established transmission network and simple (battery-powered) DAB receivers are sufficient for reception. In addition, DAB broadcasts are unencrypted and freely available and can reach the entire population. DAB is therefore very well suited for transmitting emergency warning information.

Rohde & Schwarz has developed a new super-compact and lightweight portable emergency DAB+ transmitter for Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) in Munich, Germany. This new transmitter design is a variant of the company’s R&S TMV9-4 DAB+ transmitter and ensures continuity of broadcast across BR’s DAB+ radio network.

Thanks to DAB + digital radio, the Emergency Warning Functionality (EWF) can be used to send corresponding warnings directly to DAB + radio devices. EWF is a new form of barrier-free alerting within a few seconds, which the digital terrestrial broadcasting standard DAB + offers and, in exceptional cases, can switch on radios that are in standby. In addition to the voice announcement, multilingual text information is also transmitted with EWF via DAB+.

In Vienna, DAB+ is being used to broadcast announcement loops with crucial information related to the spread of Covid-19. In addition to the announcement loop in German, there are also information channels in English, Turkish, Romanian and an Emergency Warning Functionality“ (EWF) station broadcasting in Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian.

Paneda has carried out a large live demo of its unique Emergency Warning System over DAB. The test has been performed in the smaller city Flåm in Norway and has included the rescue service with fire brigades and police as well as representatives from relevant authorities.

The Polish Ministry of Interior and Administration supports the deployment of emergency warning systems on DAB+ digital radio. This would enable digital radio owners to be immediately informed of emergencies, even if the device is in stand-by mode.

Slovakia has been running trials using DAB for Early Warning Functionality (EWF), which were demonstrated this June. They have also carried out a consumer survey into DAB. Juraj Oravec of the Research Institute (VÚS) discusses the results of the EWF trial, the consumer research and what is next for the territory.

The transmitter network for DAB+ is more robust than the old FM network, both in terms of signal feed and power supply. NRK has a broadcast-based digital broadcasting network that offers far more opportunities to alert the population with both text and sound in all channels simultaneously. The network is available all over the country, along roads and tunnels.