This Sunday, at precisely 3pm, a piercing siren will erupt from millions of mobile phones across the United Kingdom. But don't be alarmed—this is a planned test of the government's new Emergency Alert system.
The nationwide trial, set for April 23rd, will see a message pop up on smartphone screens alongside a loud, vibrating alarm that will sound for about ten seconds, even if devices are set to silent.
What Will The Emergency Message Say?
The alert will clearly state: 'This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there's a life-threatening event nearby.'
It will add: 'In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. For further information, visit gov.uk/alerts. You can opt out of these alerts in your phone settings.'
Who Will Receive The Alert?
The test will target every 4G and 5G mobile phone across the nation. The government emphasises that no personal data will be collected during the process, and the system operates by broadcasting from mobile masts to all compatible devices in range.
Why Is This Test Happening?
Modelled after similar systems that have proven successful in the US, Canada, and Japan, the UK's Emergency Alerts service is designed to warn citizens about imminent threats like severe flooding, wildfires, or extreme weather events.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden, stated: 'We are strengthening our national resilience with a new emergency alerts system, to deal with a wide range of threats – from flooding to wildfires.'
He assured that the system would be used sparingly, only being activated when there is an immediate risk to life, so people may not receive an alert for months or even years after this initial test.
Important Exceptions and How To Opt Out
While the government urges most people to keep the service active for their own safety, there are crucial circumstances where individuals may need to disable the alerts.
Domestic abuse charities have issued warnings, highlighting that the test could reveal the location of hidden phones belonging to vulnerable victims. If you have a concealed device, you must turn it off or disable emergency alerts in your settings to avoid detection.
To opt-out, search your device's settings for 'emergency alerts' and turn off 'severe alerts' and 'extreme alerts'. For those without a smartphone, there is no need to take any action.
