Early quake warning system via phones

Having an early warning system when it comes to earthquakes is certainly essential in hotspots, and Japan’s largest cellphone operators, NTT DoCoMo, KDDI, and Softbank have started work on developing a mass-communication system that broadcasts alerts to cellphones within a few seconds of an earthquake strike. This early warning will go a long way in minimizing the death toll, and while DoCoMo and KDDI have teamed up in this matter, Softbank will be going at it alone. Do you think this is an effective method? After all, high volume moments such as New Year’s Eve already bring a network to its knees, what more a mass alert system. Perhaps handsets in the future that come with built-in earthquake alert functions would be a much better and profitable idea.