SIA to implement the national public warning system

SIA, Indra’s leading cybersecurity company, will deploy and implement the National Alert Network’s Warning System in Spain together with the Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Emergencies, a body which reports to the Spanish Ministry for Home Affairs.  

It is a public warning alert service that allows government agencies and public safety agencies to immediately communicate a risk situation to every citizen in an area affected by an emergency, disaster or crisis, regardless of their nationality, residence or type of cell phone to warn them of the risks and dangers by providing critical instructions.

Given the impact on public safety and economies around the world of the permanent threat of incidents and crisis situations, such as cyber-attacks, terrorism, the effects of extreme natural phenomena and the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become necessary for all national governments to have a platform offering these features. These warning services, increasingly demanded by public authorities, protect citizens from the effects of a critical event or catastrophe at any time and any place, and allow authorities to plan and provide them with an immediate response and assistance in accordance with the severity of the situation.

According to Luis Alvarez, SIA’s CEO, “Technological advances, infrastructure improvements and global efforts are producing effective responses to crisis situations. It was essential that we make efforts in these areas, promoting the digital transformation of these services and reinforcing the protection of citizens and visitors. The system which will be implemented by SIA ensures communication without interlocutor data, the integration of the operators’ technology and the delimitation of competencies, immediacy and high volume, as well as anonymity and compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation.”

SIA has had Indra’s support and leadership in the Security market, which strengthens its long-standing relationship and close cooperation with the Ministry for Home Affairs and the Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Emergencies, a body for which it has deployed, for example, the National Radioactivity Alert Network.

The implementation of the public warning system is in response to the European Directive 1972/2018 (European Electronic Communications Code), which requires member countries to have a warning system in place for their entire population by June 21, 2022 in order to better protect citizens, visitors and tourists when natural disasters and other crisis situations occur. The project will be carried out within the framework of EU recovery funds.  

In line with European criteria, the system developed by SIA, which will be implemented by the Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Emergencies, will be able to send geolocated mass alerts to the devices of all people located in an emergency area. From day one, it will be accessible to all and will come at no cost to the user, regardless of whether they are a local resident, a national citizen in transit or a foreign visitor, regardless of their choice of service provider or cell phone. 

The solution to be implemented takes advantage of the country’s existing telecommunications infrastructure, provides easy receipt of alerts in multiple languages without prior registration being required, as well as analyzing the effectiveness of the notification for subsequent mitigation activities. 

In addition, the platform will be fully compliant with the data privacy regulatory framework, allowing public safety agencies to send an alert to any device in just a few seconds without sharing any personal data, such as names or phone numbers. 

The National Alert Network’s Public Warning System, which will be operational in a few months in Spain, is also a highly scalable project, as it can incorporate new coverage, and can be replicated in other countries or regions.

About Indra

Indra (www.indracompany.com) is one of the leading global technology and consulting companies and the technological partner for the core business operations of its customers world-wide. It is a world-leader in providing proprietary solutions in specific segments in Transport and Defence markets, and a leading firm in Digital Transformation Consultancy and Information Technologies in Spain and Latin America through its affiliate Minsait. Its business model is based on a comprehensive range of proprietary products, with a high-value, end-to-end focus and a high innovation component. At the end of the 2020 financial year, Indra achieved revenue of 3.043 billion euros, had nearly 48,000 employees, a local presence in 46 countries and business operations in over 140 countries.

About SIA

SIA is the Indra company leading the cybersecurity sector in Spain and Portugal, both in terms of turnover and expert talent, with more than 1,300 specialists. Its value proposition is based on the specific responses it offers organizations to meet the challenges and threats posed by the four forces of digitalization: regulatory pressure, connected infrastructures, the transformation of IT architectures and the growing digital interaction of people; responses articulated through a set of specific measures and plans to minimize risk and maximize the protection of their businesses. As a member of the Indra Group, one of the leading global technology and consultancy companies with business operations in 140 countries, SIA benefits from an in-depth knowledge of the sector as well as a solid worldwide presence. More information at: www.sia.es