The UK government has revealed that the new emergency alert system will cost up to £25.3 million over its first three years. The system, which sends warnings to millions of smartphones, was tested for the first time in April.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe, the Cabinet Office minister, disclosed the costs in a parliamentary answer. This includes a contract worth up to £5 million with Fujitsu, the Japanese IT firm, as well as payments totalling £18.6 million to mobile network operators. Additional spending covered security testing and legal fees.
The involvement of Fujitsu has drawn criticism due to the company's role in the Post Office Horizon scandal, where faulty accounting software led to wrongful convictions. Some peers have warned this could undermine public trust in the alert system. The government, however, insists Fujitsu's role is small and unrelated to its previous work.
During the April test, about 7% of compatible devices did not receive the alert. The Cabinet Office stated that roughly 80% of UK mobile phones were compatible. Further public tests are expected in the coming years as the system is considered a vital tool for life-threatening emergencies.
