New 'Amber Alerts' system

According to news reports, the system uses a simple broadcast technology that takes the information from a Web portal and reconfigures it for different types of broadcast.

By way of example, a state department of transportation might receive it in one format for its road signs and another for its information number.

More important, people with cell phones can sign up to receive Amber alerts with their local county or with state authorities. The text of an alert can be sent immediately to local TV news stations and Web sites.

Source: Wireless Institute of Australia

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