EAS Firmware Deadline Extended

Emergency Alert SystemNovember 6, 2019 – NHAB members will recall that Sage Alerting Systems previously announced that it’s latest firmware update would require stations to pay a fee because of the substantial time and effort that went into reworking the code.  The Federal Communications Commission has now extended the implementation deadline until January 7, 2020.  Read their public notice here.

The following was issued by Sage on November 5.

This message is from Sage Alerting Systems regarding your Sage Digital ENDEC model 3644. It applies only to users in the United States.

Sage has released the Rev 95 firmware update. You will need to install this update to continue to receive CAP messages from the FEMA IPAWS system, as required by the FCC. As we announced in July, you will need to purchase this update from one of our distributors, unless you purchased your ENDEC new after March 1, 2018. All of the background information and standard questions can be found in our Q&A document at https://www.sagealertingsystems.com/Rev95Questions-rev2.pdf

Once you have purchased an update, or if your serial number is in the free range of B417611 through B429999, you can go to the download page at https://www.sagealertingsystems.com/rev95download.html and follow the steps there.

The Rev 95 release includes a replacement for a security certificate used by FEMA to allow EAS devices to validate alerts. That validation is required by Part 11.56(3)(c). One of the certificates used to perform that validation will expire at 18:20 UTC November 8, 2019. Rev 95 includes a replacement for that certificate, which was not released and approved for use until October 30, 2019. To allow the ENDEC to continue to receive CAP alerts, you must install Rev 95 by November 8 at 1:20pm EST.

We have released a patch for a two small problems, not related to alert processing. Users that downloaded Rev95 on Monday, November 4 should check https://s3.amazonaws.com/sagealertingsystems/release/Rev-95-Patch.pdf for details.

If you have any questions regarding these updates, please email us at [email protected] or call 914-872-4069 and press 1 for support. If you get voice mail, please leave a message and we will return your call.

 

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