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

[WhereAngelsPlay]

I was fishing when mine went off and nearly fell off my box.

Thought I'd turned it off.

[redbyrdz]

Knew it would be a fuck up. Probably developed by Sunaks next door neighbour

Think the requirements for the phones are too high.

You have to have iOS 14.5 or higher  or Android 11 or higher. Many phones will have older operating systems that can't do the alert.

Also you need to be connected to a 4G or 5G network at that moment - lots of regions still only have 3G or even 2G coverage. Especially the more rural places that are more likely to suffer from serious weather events and where people could do with the alerts....

[24/7]

Running android 12, on permanent 4G connection, Tesco SIM, didn't get the alert......maybe the 'system' knows I'm not in the UK

[JoeH]

that film scared me as a kid - but how did they get up the stairs?

Never heard of climbing ivy?

[tubby]

Sounds like lots of people on Three didn't get it.

[redbyrdz]

Running android 12, on permanent 4G connection, Tesco SIM, didn't get the alert......maybe the 'system' knows I'm not in the UK

It does. It goes to all phones currently within reach of a specific mast (that is, all phones within a specific (or all, in this case) "cell" of the network). If you're not in the UK, you won't get it, no matter where the SIM is from. On the other hand, someone with a foreign SIM currently in the UK should get it.

Its the same with regions - if you bought your SIM in Liverpool, and you are in London and an alarm goes off for only London, you'll still get it. If you are in London and there is an alarm for only Liverpool, you won't get it.

[rob1966]

Sounds like lots of people on Three didn't get it.

Think the requirements for the phones are too high.

You have to have iOS 14.5 or higher  or Android 11 or higher. Many phones will have older operating systems that can't do the alert.

Also you need to be connected to a 4G or 5G network at that moment - lots of regions still only have 3G or even 2G coverage. Especially the more rural places that are more likely to suffer from serious weather events and where people could do with the alerts....

Not like anything this govt is involved in hasn't been planned, thought out, properly developed and tested 

[Alan_X]

It does. It goes to all phones currently within reach of a specific mast (that is, all phones within a specific (or all, in this case) "cell" of the network). If you're not in the UK, you won't get it, no matter where the SIM is from. On the other hand, someone with a foreign SIM currently in the UK should get it.

Its the same with regions - if you bought your SIM in Liverpool, and you are in London and an alarm goes off for only London, you'll still get it. If you are in London and there is an alarm for only Liverpool, you won't get it.

I got one in New York a couple of years back. They put out an extreme storm warning to all phones and I got it.

[Red Beret]

I guess I'm just going to have to rely on seeing if other people are running around screaming if I miss the "tsunami imminent" alert because my phone isn't advanced enough...

[24/7]

It does. It goes to all phones currently within reach of a specific mast (that is, all phones within a specific (or all, in this case) "cell" of the network). If you're not in the UK, you won't get it, no matter where the SIM is from. On the other hand, someone with a foreign SIM currently in the UK should get it.

Its the same with regions - if you bought your SIM in Liverpool, and you are in London and an alarm goes off for only London, you'll still get it. If you are in London and there is an alarm for only Liverpool, you won't get it.

Cheers - you weird techy geeky thing

[rob1966]

I always knew Nina Myskov was a fucking idiot, but on the Vine show this morning she trotted out the line that, in her opinion, the Govt think we are well on the way to a nuclear war and that's why this has come out

Ever thought its to issue flood warnings/notifications when there is a severe storm hitting a specific area or a scrap yard or factory is on fire and toxic fumes are belching out? Dickhead.

[Barneylfc∗]

Knew it would be a fuck up. Probably developed by Sunaks next door neighbour

Not understanding why it's a fuck up. Isn't the whole point of doing a test run to identify and fix any issues?
If they didn't test it, and there was a genuine threat and the likes of users on the 3 network didn't get it, yes that's a massive fuck up.
But this was a test. Issues have been identified and will be sorted. Where's the fuck up?

[redgriffin73]

Mine was loud, jumped out of my skin when my personal phone went off at 2.59pm then again 3mins later when my work phone went off. The wife’s phone was last to go off a couple of mins after that and I explained to her that the government was messaging people in a priority order so clearly they valued her life less than mine.

[redbyrdz]

Not understanding why it's a fuck up. Isn't the whole point of doing a test run to identify and fix any issues?
If they didn't test it, and there was a genuine threat and the likes of users on the 3 network didn't get it, yes that's a massive fuck up.
But this was a test. Issues have been identified and will be sorted. Where's the fuck up?

I'd be surprised if they change anything about the system.

I'd also be surprised if they surveyed the amount if people that actually got the alarm, compared to the 90% they assume get the alarm.



There's two things that have gone wrong already to me:

1. They planned a system that is reliant on modern technolgy, which is far less widespread than they think it is (too many areas not on 4G, too many phones not on new software). You'd expect things to get better in a few years, when people have upgraded their phones, but it smacks of the typical Tory reliance on "new technology will solve everything", without understanding the limitations of the technology

2. Communication about the system, what it is for, and how it works seem to have gone wrong. Most people I know have turned it off because "the government is spying on us". A warning system that nobody listens too is just completely useless.

[Davidbowie]

Overreaching government arseholes.

What a right load of unnecessary nonsense this was & it cost £22 million to facilitate.

We don't get extreme weather conditions in the UK, and if there's ever a nuclear bomb on it's way, a text from the government ain't gonna change anything.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Overreaching government arseholes.

What a right load of unnecessary nonsense this was & it cost £22 million to facilitate.

We don't get extreme weather conditions in the UK, and if there's ever a nuclear bomb on it's way, a text from the government ain't gonna change anything.

 

[redbyrdz]

We don't get extreme weather conditions in the UK

Must have imagined the floodings, power cuts due to storms, etc that have become regular events over the last few years.

[rob1966]

Not understanding why it's a fuck up. Isn't the whole point of doing a test run to identify and fix any issues?
If they didn't test it, and there was a genuine threat and the likes of users on the 3 network didn't get it, yes that's a massive fuck up.
But this was a test. Issues have been identified and will be sorted. Where's the fuck up?

Its a fuck up because it was nowhere near ready for a national test. It's reliant on users having 4G or 5G, their operating system being up to date and the network handling it, none of which is remotley true. They need to develop it to use 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G and to be available across a lot of release. I'm still on Android 10, there are people on well older versions, same with IOS. As redbyrdz said, there are people in regions not covered by 4 and 5G who are the most likely to require the alerts.

You do small tests and you find and iron out the bugs before you push out a nationwide test. With loads saying they didn't get it, that immediately gives people the impression its shit, doesn't work and they'll ignore it in the future. Its like motorways in the UK, the matrix signs are wrong so often that people just ignore them now.

[Barneylfc∗]

I'd be surprised if they change anything about the system.

I'd also be surprised if they surveyed the amount if people that actually got the alarm, compared to the 90% they assume get the alarm.



There's two things that have gone wrong already to me:

1. They planned a system that is reliant on modern technolgy, which is far less widespread than they think it is (too many areas not on 4G, too many phones not on new software). You'd expect things to get better in a few years, when people have upgraded their phones, but it smacks of the typical Tory reliance on "new technology will solve everything", without understanding the limitations of the technology

2. Communication about the system, what it is for, and how it works seem to have gone wrong. Most people I know have turned it off because "the government is spying on us". A warning system that nobody listens too is just completely useless.

That's their own fault then. Let's just hope they're not caught out in a real emergency. No doubt they'd cry about not getting an alert and not knowing what to do 

[rob1966]

That's their own fault then. Let's just hope they're not caught out in a real emergency. No doubt they'd cry about not getting an alert and not knowing what to do 

If they are on 3, an old version of IOS or Android or not on at least 4G, they aren't getting it no matter what

[redgriffin73]

Just seen they're doing another test today - well, the Echo is reporting it but not seen it elsewhere.

Also, is it true that Sunak's wife owns the company behind them?

[CheshireDave]

Also, is it true that Sunak's wife owns the company behind them?

I think they're being done by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everbridge

[redgriffin73]

I think they're being done by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everbridge

Ah right, there's a story going around that it was contracted by the government to Fujitsu, who then sub-contracted to Infosys which is Sunak's wife's company.

[liverbloke]

Overreaching government arseholes.

What a right load of unnecessary nonsense this was & it cost £22 million to facilitate.

We don't get extreme weather conditions in the UK, and if there's ever a nuclear bomb on it's way, a text from the government ain't gonna change anything.

it'll go something like this -

take cover there's a nuclear bomb on the way

please send STOP if you no longer want to receive these messages

[24/7]

it'll go something like this -

take cover there's a nuclear bomb on the way

please send STOP if you no longer want to receive these messages

"Great news for all 3 (surviving) customers - our coverage just went nuclear...... send STOP if you want to falloptout of these messages.

[rob1966]

it'll go something like this -

take cover there's a nuclear bomb on the way

please send STOP if you no longer want to receive these messages

I'll be too busy whitewashing my windows to reply.  (one for the oldies )

[Nobby Reserve]

Ah right, there's a story going around that it was contracted by the government to Fujitsu, who then sub-contracted to Infosys which is Sunak's wife's company.

Maybe not this one, but Infosys have been involved in £176m of government contracts in the last few years.

https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/mandrake-rishi-sunak-stays-tight-lipped-over-infosys/

Did anyone really think we left behind Tory corruption when Bozo went?

[rob1966]

Maybe not this one, but Infosys have been involved in £176m of government contracts in the last few years.

https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/mandrake-rishi-sunak-stays-tight-lipped-over-infosys/

Did anyone really think we left behind Tory corruption when Bozo went?

Of course not, the entire Govt is bent as a nine bob note