<P> Cell Broadcast / Cell Information (CB) messaging is a mobile technology feature defined by the ETSI's GSM committee and is part of the GSM standard . It is also known as Short Message Service - Cell Broadcast . (SMS - CB). </P> <P> Cell Broadcast is designed for simultaneous delivery to multiple users in a specified area . Whereas the Short Message Service - Point to Point (SMS - PP) is a one - to - one and one - to - a-few service (requires multiple SMS messages, as each message can only carry one phone number), Cell Broadcast is a one - to - many geographically focused messaging service . Cell Broadcast messaging is also supported by UMTS . </P> <P> Cell Broadcast messaging was technologically demonstrated in Paris for the first time in 1997 . Some mobile operators use Cell Broadcast for communicating the area code of the antenna cell to the mobile user (via channel 050), for nationwide or citywide alerting, weather reports, mass messaging, location - based news, etc . Not all operators have the Cell Broadcast messaging function activated in their network yet, and many handsets do not have the capability to support cell broadcast . </P>

What is cell broadcast on a cell phone