Emergency Alert System hardware vendor Digital Alert Systems has issued a strong rebuttal to the NAB, defending its opposition to a proposed FCC rulemaking that would allow software-based EAS processing. In formal reply comments, the company refutes NAB’s argument that the company’s concerns are grounded in commercial self-interest.
DAS warns that pushing forward without proper scrutiny could undermine EAS reliability and public safety.
The filing, submitted as part of the FCC’s proceeding on EAS modernization, responds directly to NAB’s recent statements framing Digital Alert Systems as a “self-interested detractor” and the lone opponent of the initiative. DAS argued that such language is counterproductive and dismisses legitimate, evidence-based input.
“Our comments are grounded in a sincere effort to foster mature, professional dialogue on a matter that reaches far beyond the business interests of any single manufacturer,” wrote Digital Alert Systems Vice President of Government and International Edward Czarnecki.
DAS cited its existing suite of software-based EAS tools as evidence that the company is already innovating in this space. However, it stressed that software-based EAS systems pose serious questions about cybersecurity, timing accuracy, compliance enforcement, and network isolation that have yet to be adequately addressed.
“The assertion that Sage’s ‘constructive engagement’ somehow in and of itself validates the software-only approach is flawed,” the company added, referring to NAB’s contrasting praise for Sage Alerting Systems, which has supported the proposal. “Agreement from one vendor does not negate the validity of technical concerns raised by another.”
DAS also pointed to comments from other stakeholders, including the Broadcast Warning Working Group and individual broadcast engineers, as further evidence that industry support is not as unanimous as NAB has suggested.
The company took issue with characterizations of its hybrid solutions as outdated, noting its hardware products already incorporate remote access and software integrations. “NAB repeatedly refers to Digital Alert Systems’ platform as outdated or cumbersome. This is both misleading and incorrect.”
At the core of DAS’s argument is a call for collaboration, not resistance. The company urged the FCC to facilitate a deeper, more inclusive technical dialogue and warned that premature regulatory changes could introduce new vulnerabilities into the EAS system.
“We reiterate that we remain open and willing to work with stakeholders, including NAB, the FCC, and FEMA, to thoughtfully explore the path forward,” wrote Czarnecki. “But that path must include space for rigorous discussion, technical vetting, honest disagreement, and earnest compromise.”
