Public emergency alerts by text in the UK

[Kim]

careful when sharing screen shots. You're leaking info.

Fixed.

[quixoticgeek]

careful when sharing screen shots. You're leaking info.

Fixed.

Have edited my post to remove any leak.

J

[Cudzoziemiec]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/apr/06/sound-that-saves-your-life-uk-disaster-alert-to-buzz-phones-on-23-april

It has been tested in east Suffolk and Reading, but this is the first time the whole country will receive an alarm. Similar systems exist in other countries, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan.

Mobiles with a 4G or 5G signal will emit a loud siren-like sound, receive a message on their home screen and vibrate for up to 10 seconds.

East Suffolk, Reading, Birmingham and a few other places, in fact. And you won't be alerted if you're still on 3G (never mind 2G).

The chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden, said: “Put the date in your diaries – at 3pm on 23 April, we’ll be testing our new national emergency alerts system.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster? Somehow this makes it sound a lot less urgent than if it came from the Minister of Internal Affairs or the National Disaster Preparedness Agency, say. As if it will involve Dutch ships sighted off the Medway or reminder to extinguish your pudding ovens before retiring at night.

[Basil]

Might turn my phone off to see if it can deal with that.  Mrs B's will be left on as a control.

[bhoot]

It's London marathon day... Should be fun with all the crowds

[hubner]

"Surround Parliament" (The Big One), from 21 April 2023, is also planned for that day.

https://surroundparliament.com/

https://extinctionrebellion.uk/the-big-one/

[Jurek]

"Surround Parliament" (The Big One), from 21 April 2023, is also planned for that day.

https://surroundparliament.com/

https://extinctionrebellion.uk/the-big-one/

That'll be interesting.
The marathon route uses Bridge Street, right next to the north end of the Houses of Parliament.

[rogerzilla]

A brawl between XR crusties and angry, ultra-fit, but also tired, marathon runners?  I'd hate to work out the odds on that one.

[Kim]

A brawl between XR crusties and angry, ultra-fit, but also tired, marathon runners?  I'd hate to work out the odds on that one.

Could be the best thing since those women dressed as badgers chased away the fash...

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Perhaps prompted by Putin’s special military operation..

Emergency Alerts is a UK government service that will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby.
In an emergency, your mobile phone or tablet will receive an alert with advice about how to stay safe.
The government does not need to know your phone number or location to send you an alert.
..
If you cannot receive emergency alerts
If you do not have a compatible device, you’ll still be informed about an emergency. The emergency services have other ways to warn you when there is a threat to life.
Emergency alerts will not replace local news, radio, television or social media.

https://www.gov.uk/alerts

Given the nature of our current government, the Home Secretary in particular, my immediate reaction is that it feels creepy and 1984ish. There is also this:


How to stop UK Gov emergency alert sounding if you're hiding a secret phone
Ahead of the upcoming government emergency alert which will be broadcast across all phones in the UK, charities have raised concerns that domestic abuse victims might be left in danger by the test

[quixoticgeek]

Do not be alarmed...

J

(Bump to remind people test is today)

[Beardy]

Blurt blurt

[Pingu]

Sounded rather ominous on Mrs P's phone. American voice message thobut 

[Pickled Onion]

I din't get one - not fair!!

Everyone else on the train did tho 

[robgul]

WTF with an American voice for the message? 

[JonBuoy]

A bit early and a bit carp!

[rafletcher]

Seemed a fraction early, and, for a “very load siren”, somewhat underwhelming. 

ETA no voice message here.

ETAA and no retained text message.

2x iPhones on Vodafone.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Disappointing. I'd expected it to be much louder and also, following Kim's post the other week, more "wooshy" in sound. I'm pretty sure I could sleep through it. But maybe it gets louder if you leave it going?

[Cudzoziemiec]

Voice message? I didn't get a voice message.

[Beardy]

There was a voice message? All I got was blurt blurt and an underwhelming screen message. It wasn’t even a red back ground!

[FifeingEejit]

3 minutes between o2 and Vodafone ones, and my Nokia 3330 didn't get it and is still on GMT hm...

Sent from my IV2201 using Tapatalk

[MattH]

Three phones here - two Samsung Androids on EE, one iPhone on O2. Only one of the Samsungs had the alert.
Checked settings on the silent Android - all looks the same.

So 1 in 3 success here...

[Feanor]

How are people getting voice messages with American acents?

We got a notification on the screen along with a notification sound / vibration.
After dismissing it, it can be found in the Mesaging app alongside normal text messages, but with a different icon.

No voice messages or calls.

[Basil]

Nothing here on our Samsungs.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I got the on-screen message but no text message. I did get a follow-up message asking if I wanted to receive emergency alerts (I clicked yes, though might change it). So it seems to be remarkably non-uniform.