Date set for millions of phones across UK to receive emergency alert test
Millions of phones will receive emergency warnings in the second national test of the warning system on September 7.
Smartphones designed to warn nearby threats such as excessive air or terrorist activity, on Sunday at 15:00, a 10 -second siren will tremble and make a sound.
Even the phones in the silent mode will be displayed during the warning, a message showing that there is a test on the screen.
According to the authorities, there are about 87 million mobile phones in the UK.
The test will be the first since April 2023, and the government is a part of the country’s plans to strengthen emergency preparation. The Covid investigation suggested that ministers test the emergency warning system after the pandemi.
In the past, the concerns that emergency warnings may reveal the hidden phones and that they could leave the victims of domestic abuse at risk. However, the government said it would carry out a public information campaign targeting vulnerable groups to ensure that they could close the warning on the second phones.
The Lancaster Duchy Chancellor Pat McFadden said: “Emergency warnings have life -saving potential and allow us to quickly share the basic information in emergencies, including excessive storms.
“Just like a fire alarm in your home, it is important to test the system, so we know it will work if we need it.”
Since April 2023, the system has been used five times, including large storms, which are at risk.
During Storm éowyn in January, warnings shone on 4.5 million phones in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and Wales and 3,5 million people in the south west of England received a warning during the last December during Storm Darragh.
Plymouth was also used when an explosion of exploded bombs from the Second World War was discovered.
During the post -test, a number of mobile phone users, including those on three networks, complained that they did not receive a warning.
How to close the warning
The feature is easy to close, but the system depends on the device used to do so.
Open the Settings App on an iPhone and type “Emergency Warnings” in the search bar. This should raise the option of closing “violent warnings” and “emergency warnings”.
“In a real emergency, follow the warning instructions to keep yourself and others safe.
“For more information, visit gov.uk/alerts.”
On an Android device, go to Settings application and search for emergency warnings. Expressions may be slightly dependent on which version you use, but usually there will be something like “emergency warnings ve and will have the option to close.
The British Red Cross welcomed the test, but called for Special and Targeted Advice for those who are at more risky, especially on how to respond to the emergency.
CEO Béatrice Butsana-Bita said: “The real test will be how it will turn into concrete actions up to the society and household levels, so we are not just warned, we are not ready, and everyone is ready to respond in an emergency situation.”
And the long -term flexibility center said that the national preparation of the UK was “unseen tested to an unprecedented extent” and welcomed the government that it accepted it.
Users will have to accept a warning that contains connections to government websites that contain more information before accessing other features on their phones.
It is estimated that if the phones are turned off or in flight mode or people come out of the scheme and they will reach approximately 90 percent of mobile phones in a particular area through 4G and 5G telephone networks.
Previous warnings read the following: “This is an emergency warnings test with a new UK government service that will warn you if there is a life -threatening emergency.
Warning systems have been successfully used in events such as severe weather events in some other countries, including the USA, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan.
Separately, the government confirmed that it was conducting a pandemic preparation exercise called Pegasus exercise.
