§ 10.350   WEA Testing requirements.

   This section specifies the testing that will be required, no later than the
   date of deployment of the WEA, of WEA components.

   (a)  Required monthly tests. Testing of the WEA from the Federal Alert
   Gateway  to  each Participating CMS Provider's infrastructure shall be
   conducted monthly.

   (1) A Participating CMS Provider's Gateway shall support the ability to
   receive a required monthly test (RMT) message initiated by the Federal Alert
   Gateway Administrator.

   (2) Participating CMS Providers shall schedule the distribution of the RMT
   to their WEA coverage area over a 24 hour period commencing upon receipt of
   the RMT at the CMS Provider Gateway. Participating CMS Providers shall
   determine the method to distribute the RMTs, and may schedule over the 24
   hour period the delivery of RMTs over geographic subsets of their coverage
   area to manage traffic loads and to accommodate maintenance windows.

   (3) A Participating CMS Provider may forego an RMT if the RMT is pre-empted
   by actual alert traffic or if an unforeseen condition in the CMS Provider
   infrastructure  precludes distribution of the RMT. A Participating CMS
   Provider Gateway shall indicate such an unforeseen condition by a response
   code to the Federal Alert Gateway.

   (4)  The  RMT  shall  be  initiated  only by the Federal Alert Gateway
   Administrator  using a defined test message. Real event codes or alert
   messages shall not be used for the WEA RMT message.

   (5) A Participating CMS Provider shall distribute an RMT within its WEA
   coverage area within 24 hours of receipt by the CMS Provider Gateway unless
   pre-empted by actual alert traffic or unable due to an unforeseen condition.

   (6)  A  Participating CMS Provider may provide mobile devices with the
   capability of receiving RMT messages.

   (7)  A  Participating CMS Provider must retain an automated log of RMT
   messages  received  by the CMS Provider Gateway from the Federal Alert
   Gateway.

   (b) Periodic C interface testing. In addition to the required monthly tests,
   a Participating CMS Provider must participate in periodic testing of the
   interface between the Federal Alert Gateway and its CMS Provider Gateway.
   This periodic interface testing is not intended to test the CMS Provider's
   infrastructure nor the mobile devices but rather is required to ensure the
   availability/viability of both gateway functions. Each CMS Provider Gateway
   shall send an acknowledgement to the Federal Alert Gateway upon receipt of
   such an interface test message. Real event codes or alert messages shall not
   be used for this periodic interface testing.

   [ 73 FR 47558 , Aug. 14, 2008, as amended at  78 FR 16808 , Mar. 19, 2013]

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Subpart D—Alert Message Requirements

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