On Sunday, 7 September, at around 3pm, mobile phones connected to 4G and 5G networks will vibrate and emit a siren sound/”>sound for up to 10 seconds. Users will receive a message indicating that the alert is a drill.
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This system is designed to provide warnings and advice during life-threatening emergencies. The last test occurred on 23 April 2023.
Government Statement
Pat McFadden, the Minister for Work and Pensions, reassured the public, stating, “I know Brits will keep their cool when phones across the UK make a siren-like noise today at 3pm. It’s important to remember this is only a test, just like the fire drills we all do in our schools and workplaces.” He added, “We’re carrying out the test to make sure the system works well when we need it most, and afterwards, we’ll work with mobile network operators to assess performance.
Previous Emergency Alerts
Emergency Alerts have been employed in five real emergencies, including Storm Éowyn in January, which affected 4.5 million people in england/scotland-england/”>scotland/”>Scotland and ireland/”>Northern Ireland. Last year, the system was used in plymouth/" data-wpil-monitor-id="132275">Plymouth to evacuate over 10,000 residents following the discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb.
Device Compatibility
Emergency alerts will only be sent
to devices that meet the following criteria:
- iPhones running iOS 14.5 or later
- Android phones and tablets running Android 11 or later
- Other devices may also receive alerts depending on their software.
include those that are turned off, connected to a 2G or 3G network, Wi-Fi only, not compatible, or in airplane mode.
Opting Out of Alerts
If you prefer not to receive emergency alert messages during the test, you can opt out:
For Android Phones
Search your phone’s settings for ‘emergency alerts’ and disable ‘test alerts’, ‘exercise alerts’, ‘operator defined’, and ‘operator alerts’.
For iPhones
Go to Settings, then Notifications, and Turnturn off ‘Critical Alerts.
