Malaysia to trial phone-based disaster warnings on 19 November
The Cell Broadcast System is designed to send location-based alerts without internet access and eventually replace Malaysia’s SMS disaster warnings.
A live test of Malaysia’s Cell Broadcast System (CBS) is scheduled for 19 November 2026, according to recent reports. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is in the final development phase of the emergency notification system.
Selected disaster-prone locations are expected to take part, including areas vulnerable to flooding in Kelantan, Selangor, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur. Messages sent for the exercise will be test notifications, not warnings of an actual disaster.
CBS sends broadcasts through cellular towers to compatible phones in a specified area, avoiding the need to address messages to individual numbers. Users will not need internet access, an app or SMS services to receive them. Delivery can work across mobile providers as long as at least one local mobile network is functioning.
Malaysia intends to use CBS alongside its existing SMS warning mechanism before replacing it. Development also includes accessibility support on compatible phones, such as vibration, audio notifications and screen readers, for people who have sight or hearing impairments or difficulty reading.
The technology still depends on mobile infrastructure: a complete network outage in an affected location would stop delivery until connectivity returns. The project follows Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil’s announcement in 2024 that the government was considering smartphone emergency alerts to strengthen preparedness for floods.
