All UK smartphones will receive a test emergency alert next month, as the UK government finally launches its new, free Emergency Alerts service from today.
The system was trialled in East Suffolk and Reading in 2021, but is now online as a way to reach “nearly 90 per cent of mobile phones in a defined area” nationwide, with the test message being sent to all smartphones with access to 4G and 5G networks on 23 April.
While a “loud siren-like sound” will be played from iPhone and Android phones along with a vibration for up to 10 seconds (even if it’s on silent), a message will remain on its home screen until it’s acknowledged – and only then can you regain access to other features on your phone.
Oliver Dowden MP, the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: “We are strengthening our national resilience with a new emergency alerts system, to deal with a wide range of…
