A national emergency-alert system will be tested on Sunday 7 September by sending a standard test message to 4G and 5G smartphones across the UK. The alerts are intended for imminent dangers to life, including extreme weather or terror attacks, and instruct recipients to follow any real-alert instructions and consult gov.uk/prepare and gov.uk/alerts. Older phones on 2G or 3G, switched-off devices and phones in airplane mode will not receive the message. The April 2023 test exposed technical problems: some devices received duplicates, some received nothing, many Three network users were affected, and around 7% of compatible devices were not reached. Users can enable alerts or opt out in phone settings.
The national system for sending emergency alerts to mobile phones will be tested for the second time on Sunday 7 September. The alerts are designed for situations where there is an imminent danger to life, such as during extreme weather events or a terror attack. The previous test, in April 2023, revealed a number of technical issues - with some people getting the alert more than once and others not receiving it at all.
"This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a UK government service that will warn you if there's a life-threatening emergency nearby. "You do not need to take any action. In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. "Find simple and effective advice on how to prepare for emergencies at gov.uk/prepare. "Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information or to view this message in Welsh.
The alert will be sent to all smartphones on the UK's 4G and 5G networks, even if they are not connected to mobile data or wi-fi. There are about 87 million mobile phones in the UK and the goverment says about 95% of the population has 4G or 5G access. Older phones, and phones connected to 2G or 3G networks, will not receive the message. Phones that are switched off or in airplane mode will also not get the alert.
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