Topic: Public emergency alerts to be sent to all UK mobile phones

[Barneylfc∗]

Class, can't wait for this.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64999417

A siren-like alert will be sent to mobile phone users across the UK next month to test a new government public warning system.

It allows the government and emergency services to send urgent messages warning the public of life-threatening situations like flooding or wildfires.

The test is expected to take place in the early evening of 23 April.

Phone users will have to acknowledge the alert before they can use other features on their devices.

A message will appear on the home screens of people's devices during the test, with vibration and a loud warning sound that will ring for about 10 seconds, even if the phone is set to silent.

The system - which became operational on Sunday - is being modelled on similar schemes used in the US, Canada, Japan and The Netherlands.

Messages would only ever come from the government or emergency services and will initially focus on the most serious weather-related events, with the ability to get a message to 90% of mobile users within the relevant area.

Terror alerts could be added to the list of potential events that would trigger a notification.

The messages will include details of the area impacted and instructions about how to respond. They will only be sent where there is an immediate risk to life and many people may not receive an alert for months or years.

Cabinet minister Oliver Dowden told the BBC the warnings are sent in a "very targeted way" and other than the test, he hopes many people will never hear the alert again.

People can opt out by searching their device settings for emergency alerts and then turning off severe and extreme ones. Officials say the alerts could be life-saving, though, advising against switching them off.

The Cabinet Office says the service will be secure, free to receive and will not collect personal information such as someone's telephone number, identity or location.

The new system uses cell broadcasting technology and messages will be based on someone's current location - but location services do not need to be switched on to receive the alerts.

That is because when an alert is triggered, all cell towers in a defined area will broadcast it, allowing the message to reach an area the size of an electoral ward.

The government has released a video of what the alerts will sound like.

Trials have already been held in Reading and East Suffolk. People will also be alerted if they are in one of 19 other countries which currently use them.

Mr Dowden, whose role as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster gives him oversight of the preparation and planning for emergencies, said the technology would "revolutionise our ability to warn and inform people who are in immediate danger".

And he told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme the alert is "a sound that can save your life".

He said people are likely to hear the alert in instances where there has been a major flood and "your house was at risk of being inundated and your life is at risk".

National Fire Chiefs Council chairman Mark Hardingham said the new system would help fire and rescue services to do their jobs "and to help communities in the event of emergencies".

He said: "We've seen this type of system in action elsewhere across the world and we look forward to having the facility here in the UK - by working together with fire services and partners, we want this system to help us to help you be as safe as you can if a crisis does hit."

The Environment Agency's Caroline Douglas, executive director for flood and coastal erosion risk management, said the system would allow officials to communicate warnings in a "timely and accurate manner".

[So… Howard Philips]

What could possibly go wrong!

[[new username under construction]]

It does sound rather like making everyone interact with their phone before they can use them again, I mean, if you were some conspiracy nut, possibly, maybe

[kellan]

Phone users will have to acknowledge the alert before they can use other features on their devices.

I do hope this works better than that expensive failure of an app because I can't afford to replace my phone if Mr Dowden's little brainchild bricks it.

[AndyMuller]

My iPhone got hammered by these when I was in Florida last year during a massive hurricane. The first time hearing the alarm go off was fucking scary.

[tubby]

I had this happen in Nottingham a year or so ago, maybe was a local test before the big one.  Went off about 3 different times randomly, really annoying and I had no idea wtf was going on at first.

[FlashingBlade]

We have these in Netherlands. Also on first Monday of the month at Noon emergency sirens go off around the Country as a test ( in case of flooding etc, ) Theyre loud as fuck and quite scary sounding.....funny as fuck to see faces on Tourists when they go off.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Thanks for the reminder, switched off

[kesey]

Thanks for the reminder, switched off

I did it a few days ago.

Anyway. Who's the late kick off on that Sunday ?

[The G in Gerrard]

I thought this was some kind of April's Fools thing.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

So they're hacking our phones and leaving a backdoor open for future hacks.

[[new username under construction]]

So they're hacking our phones and leaving a backdoor open for future hacks.

Just weird that everyone can't use their phones unless you acknowledge the alert. Why not just send one and leave it at that?

[Barneylfc∗]

This is just going to turn into more conspiracy theorist lunacy isn't it 

[Red Beret]

I have four old smartphones, but I hope this alert only goes to the one with a sim in it, otherwise it's going to be a bugger for me.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

This is just going to turn into more conspiracy theorist lunacy isn't it 

First one I ever got was when the Columbia blew up,simple text & it worked well because after it I knew the news.

[Nobby Reserve]

What sort of emergency would it be used for?

That a rubber dinghy full of dark-skinned people had landed in Kent?

[redbyrdz]

What sort of emergency would it be used for?

"The most serious weather-related events"

I imagine it'll mostly be red alert flood warnings, possibly those with evacuation orders.

There seem to be more and more serious weather events, so I think a universal warning system is a good thing.

It used to be that the police would go house to house, or drive round with a speaker system or whatever. This seems to be a much quicker, modern way.


I do agree that it is a bit weird that you can't use your phone until you have acknowledge the alarm, but I think its designed that way so that you see the alarm, even if you weren't near your phone when it went off.

[LanceLink!!!!!]

I got a message from the government the other day, opened and read it, it said they were suckers.

[Boston always unofficial]

I'm kinda surprised y'all didn't have one operating before now.

[redbyrdz]

I'm kinda surprised y'all didn't have one operating before now.

Two reasons:
- the UK is actually a pretty safe country with regards to the weather, or other natural disasters.
- we've had a Tory government for over a decade that has no interest in doing anything that would actually be good for the country  or the people

[TepidT2O]

I'm kinda surprised y'all didn't have one operating before now.

It doesn’t get very hot often, or very cold often, or very windy, no earthquakes, no hurricane risk…


It’s just dull and miserable much of the time ….

[redbyrdz]

I have four old smartphones, but I hope this alert only goes to the one with a sim in it, otherwise it's going to be a bugger for me.

I was just thinking about that, and the claim that it does work when the phone is switched off.

I can see it working without a SIM, because some phones can still be used for emergency calls without a SIM, afaik.
(Edit: i think it will be limited to phones with an active UK SIM. Mostly because they said it works even if you are abroad. That means they must sens it to phones based on their SIM, and not their location. They might miss a few people that way, for example those that use their phone without a SIM just over wifi.)

I can less see how it'd work when the phone is switched off. For example, if it has run out of battery, I can't see how it'd work. Maybe some phones can be woken up remotely? But they'd still need battery for that to work.

[[new username under construction]]

What love? No I don't have a second secret phone!!!!

[redgriffin73]

What love? No I don't have a second secret phone!!!!

Imagine being a ticket tout with 50 odd burner phones all going off

[classycarra]

Refuge have put together a guide for turning off the alerts, worth sharing with anyone you know who may need the heads up

On Apr 23rd, the UK government will test emergency alerts, & your phone could make a loud sound, even on silent. If you’re a domestic violence survivor & have a hidden phone, it could reveal its location. Refuge have created a guide for turning alerts off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2MBcHwmiy8
https://twitter.com/simonharris_mbd/status/1638192249631653888

[redbyrdz]

Imagine being a ticket tout with 50 odd burner phones all going off

Serves them right.


But what about phone repair shops?


Or phone shops in general. Imagine every new phone, still in a sealed box, going off. Another reason why it should only work with a SIM.

[Crosby Nick]

What love? No I don't have a second secret phone!!!!

Wait til her’s goes off too.

[Nitramdorf]

Does anyone know if this is going to go off on non smart phones? I use an old pre Boer war Nokia and dont have an option to turn off emergency alerts. I dont like using phones if I can help it and am worried I wont be able to respond to it in case it's a link. Thanks.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

It doesn’t get very hot often, or very cold often, or very windy, no earthquakes, no hurricane risk…

Because we don't deserve them 

[redbyrdz]

Does anyone know if this is going to go off on non smart phones? I use an old pre Boer war Nokia and dont have an option to turn off emergency alerts. I dont like using phones if I can help it and am worried I wont be able to respond to it in case it's a link. Thanks.

From the government website:

Emergency alerts work on:

iPhones running iOS 14.5 or later
Android phones and tablets running Android 11 or later

If you have an earlier version of Android, you may still be able to receive alerts. To check, search your device settings for ‘emergency alerts’.

So it works on newer smartphones only.

Just checked, my phone is way too old for it too.

[redbyrdz]

Regarding the claim that the alerts work "when the phone is switched off".

Nope.

You will not receive alerts if your device is:

- turned off or in airplane mode
- connected to a 2G or 3G network
- wifi only
- not compatible

[redbyrdz]

Honestly, after reading about the device requirements, I wish they'd just send a text. A lot more people would get it, and because there's no alarm, it would seem less invasive too.

[Nitramdorf]

From the government website:

So it works on newer smartphones only.

Just checked, my phone is way too old for it too.

Thank you very much. 

[redgriffin73]

Regarding the claim that the alerts work "when the phone is switched off".

Nope.

Ah, my mobile data is switched off when I'm at home and just connected to wifi, so I won't get it then?

[redbyrdz]

Ah, my mobile data is switched off when I'm at home and just connected to wifi, so I won't get it then?

Do you still get calls/texts? It's a broadcast that comes via the mobile network. Essentially all the 4G/5G masts shout "alarm" at all connected phones in their area. I don't think you need data to receive it, just your phone needs to be connected to the mobile network.

[AlphaDelta]

Happened to me whilst on holiday in Arizona in 2019. I was half-asleep about 6.30am in the morning, hungover, phone on silent. Next thing is this wailing siren on my phone with an automated voice saying "danger to life, take immediate cover", over and over again. I fookin shit myself (not literally) and done what any normal person would do, got under the quilt!

Turns out they had some flash flooding a few miles up the road, but it literally shaved a few years off my life.

[redgriffin73]

Do you still get calls/texts? It's a broadcast that comes via the mobile network. Essentially all the 4G/5G masts shout "alarm" at all connected phones in their area. I don't think you need data to receive it, just your phone needs to be connected to the mobile network.

OK thanks for that, I'd still get it then, I got confused by the bit about wifi only!

[redbyrdz]

OK thanks for that, I'd still get it then, I got confused by the bit about wifi only!

Think wifi only means when you don't have a SIM in it. For example, I have an old tablet I only use at home for music, and it hasn't got a SIM, but I can still use the wifi.

[redgriffin73]

Think wifi only means when you don't have a SIM in it. For example, I have an old tablet I only use at home for music, and it hasn't got a SIM, but I can still use the wifi.

[Barneylfc∗]

Don't forget the tin foil hats at around 3 today