Earlier this week, Omnilert announced that more than 100 colleges and universities in the US had adopted eCampus, the company's mass notification system. eCampus can push SMS text messages, emergency warnings or other urgent information to a user's cell phone. In addition to SMS messaging, the system supports notifications by email, Web site, wireless PDA, RSS feeds and digital signage connected to the campus network.

Higher education institutions have become especially sensitive to the need for mass notification, following the tragedy earlier this year at Virginia Tech. Campuses are especially interested in using the power of cell phones, since studies have shown that most people ages 16-25 have cell phones, up to 25 percent of mobile users under the age of 30 use cell phones exclusively.

Municipalities are also deploying mass notification systems to warn people of natural disasters, weather phenomena, fires, and other hazards. The State of California announced plans in May to institute a statewide SMS service by mid-2008. Washington DC activated such a service in late 2006. Part of the interest in using SMS messaging stems from the fact that most younger people don't listen to radio or watch television, and would miss emergency notifications sent out via traditional means.

With the growing popularity of mobile phones and MP3 players, and the declining interest in radio and television, network administrators and campus officials should consider how best to incorporate mass notification systems into their disaster preparedness, disaster recovery and business continuity plans.