| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by johnneyw at 15:02, 8th September 2025 |     |
I see the alerts as not just a means of potentially avoiding risk to myself but also of reducing the likelihood of having to put demands upon what could be hard pressed emergency services.... 'doing ones bit', if you like.
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by broadgage at 14:46, 8th September 2025 | |
I didn't receive it as I was out of the country at the time so have no idea what it sounds like
Sounds awful, screeching sound. I switched it off before they did the first test a couple of years ago.A bit like a seagull screeching ?
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by bobm at 14:03, 8th September 2025 | |
As I said before, I am not against the alerts just the way they are delivered. If Apple allowed them to post a message and vibrate without the sound, I'd be happy.
As it is I've survived more than three score years without them so I am happy to take my chances going forward.
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by JayMac at 13:29, 8th September 2025 | |
Authoritarianism is bad enough, without inviting yet more of it from the government
The current government were not the architects of this 'authoritarianism'.
A system using modern technology that is designed to save lives is the sort of 'authoritarianism' I can get on board with. An infrequent test of said system is a mere trifle.
You are of course free to ignore the tests, and any real 'threats to life' warnings. Or block them completely. Were it really authoritarian you wouldn't have the choice to ignore or block.
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by ChrisB at 12:53, 8th September 2025 | |
iPhone has a setting in Settings>Notifications. Just scroll down to the bottom and there are a couple of toggles to silence the alarms. Authoritarianism is bad enough, without inviting yet more of it from the government
Yup - that completely stops the iphone from receiving any alerts at all.
I don't however think there is a setting that allows you to receive the alert silently, with or without vibrate - and just get the message on screen silently
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by IndustryInsider at 12:32, 8th September 2025 | |
I'm quite happy to put up with a very occasional test for a system that has the potential to save lives on the very rare occasions it needs to be used.
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by Witham Bobby at 12:18, 8th September 2025 | |
iPhone has a setting in Settings>Notifications. Just scroll down to the bottom and there are a couple of toggles to silence the alarms. Authoritarianism is bad enough, without inviting yet more of it from the government
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by Timmer at 11:47, 8th September 2025 | |
I didn't receive it as I was out of the country at the time so have no idea what it sounds like
Sounds awful, screeching sound. I switched it off before they did the first test a couple of years ago.| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by rogerw at 11:46, 8th September 2025 | |
I didn't receive it as I was out of the country at the time so have no idea what it sounds like
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by stuving at 11:27, 8th September 2025 | |
On my (Samsung/Android) tablet, in the settings for emergency alerts, there is an option to "speak alert messages" using text-to-speech. This was set to off, so the tablet made a lot of noise but said nothing yesterday. I imagine this is present in of most, if not all, Android phones.
I also wonder whether a phone might allow you to answer an alert as if it was a call. That might not be standardised, but depend on the specific user interface.
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by ChrisB at 09:18, 8th September 2025 | |
Actually, ChrisB, it was verbal as well as textual. Unless you've blocked the audio setting?
How do you do that then? You can turn off the alert completely, but not the audio unless you silence it - but I got the tone plus vibrate.But
Only audio (plus written stuff on the screen), no verbal.
Will look at our settings later as not aware there were alternatives.
Will look at our settings later as not aware there were alternatives.
No verbal, at least on iPhones.
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by Bob_Blakey at 08:33, 8th September 2025 | |
I did not receive the alert on my 'phone; long may that continue.
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by Phil at 08:19, 8th September 2025 | |
I was in my car when it went off (I know, forgive me; I realise it's sacrilege mentioning cars on a public transport forum but I had heavy stuff to transport) - anyway, my iPhone is connected to the car when I'm driving, so I received the alert through the car's speakers, then used the touch screen on the dashboard to hear the spoken information (and get rid of the annoying display). That was read out in my car's usual speaking voice, not the American voice I've heard people complaining of. So, there's that at least.
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by GBM at 07:34, 8th September 2025 | |
Huh? It wasn't verbal.
I'm guessing that you have accessibility settings turned on, and it read the alert message to you. But the alert was a tone, nothing verbal
Only audio (plus written stuff on the screen), no verbal.I'm guessing that you have accessibility settings turned on, and it read the alert message to you. But the alert was a tone, nothing verbal
Will look at our settings later as not aware there were alternatives.
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:53, 7th September 2025 | |
Actually, ChrisB, it was verbal as well as textual. Unless you've blocked the audio setting?
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by JayMac at 21:51, 7th September 2025 | |
No accessibility settings turned on on my phone. I got the verbal read out.
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by ChrisB at 21:08, 7th September 2025 | |
Huh? It wasn't verbal.
I'm guessing that you have accessibility settings turned on, and it read the alert message to you. But the alert was a tone, nothing verbal
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by Kernow Otter at 20:48, 7th September 2025 | |
Recieved here during lunch. Why an American voice???
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 20:16, 7th September 2025 | |
An update, from the BBC.
Unusually, I choose not to quote from any of it: you are welcome to read whichever parts of it you find relevant.
CfN.
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by Ralph Ayres at 17:17, 7th September 2025 | |
I understand the thinking behind this but I do feel it should respect the user's desire for silence if that is what they have selected. That is often set for a reason. For me a vibration - which also goes to my watch - is quite sufficient. As a result, with the current policy, such alerts are blocked on my devices.
You can (at least on my Android phone) set Emergency Alerts specifically to "Deliver quietly", ie without sound, independent of the overall sound setting for the phone. Can't totally vouch for it working, as I discovered after the event a completely separate setting for wireless emergency alerts which was set to "do not allow", and I was indeed not alerted in any way. Pity I can't request a retest to check that the settings now do what I expect.| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 15:03, 7th September 2025 | |
All three of us in this household received the alert 'on the dot' at 3:00.
Our dog didn't bat an eyelid.
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by GBM at 12:59, 7th September 2025 | |
Those of us on the 3 mobile network have been blissfully unaware of any alerts (so far)!
| Re: When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by bobm at 12:14, 7th September 2025 | |
I understand the thinking behind this but I do feel it should respect the user's desire for silence if that is what they have selected. That is often set for a reason. For me a vibration - which also goes to my watch - is quite sufficient. As a result, with the current policy, such alerts are blocked on my devices.
| When is the emergency alert test on mobile phones and can you opt out? Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 10:48, 7th September 2025 | |
From the BBC:
The national system for sending emergency alerts to mobile phones will be tested for the second time this afternoon, 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 including some users receiving multiple messages and others getting nothing at all.
The alert will be sent to millions of devices around 15:00 BST on Sunday 7 September.
Compatible phones - the vast majority of those currently in use - will vibrate and make a siren sound for roughly 10 seconds.
The text of the message will read:
"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, external.
"Visit gov.uk/alerts, external for more information or to view this message in Welsh. Ewch i gov.uk/alerts am ragor o wybodaeth neu i weld y neges hon yn y Gymraeg."
(BBC article continues)
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 including some users receiving multiple messages and others getting nothing at all.
The alert will be sent to millions of devices around 15:00 BST on Sunday 7 September.
Compatible phones - the vast majority of those currently in use - will vibrate and make a siren sound for roughly 10 seconds.
The text of the message will read:
"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, external.
"Visit gov.uk/alerts, external for more information or to view this message in Welsh. Ewch i gov.uk/alerts am ragor o wybodaeth neu i weld y neges hon yn y Gymraeg."
(BBC article continues)
My highlighting. CfN.
From past experiences:
From the BBC:
All three of us in this household received that message on our mobile phones - it startled the heck out of us!
CfN.
Millions sent government alert as Storm Darragh approaches
Around three million people in parts of Wales and south-west England have been sent an emergency alert from the government as Storm Darragh approaches the UK.
It is the largest use of the warning system yet and has been sent to the mobile phones of people in areas covered by the Met Office red weather warning for the storm.
The alert made a loud siren-like sound when it was delivered to devices, even if they were set on silent. The alert lasted for around 10 seconds.
The government alert was sent to every compatible mobile phone in impacted areas, containing information about the red warning and guidance on how to stay safe into Saturday.
Outside of test scenarios, the alert system has been used twice before, though both times on a smaller scale.
Around three million people in parts of Wales and south-west England have been sent an emergency alert from the government as Storm Darragh approaches the UK.
It is the largest use of the warning system yet and has been sent to the mobile phones of people in areas covered by the Met Office red weather warning for the storm.
The alert made a loud siren-like sound when it was delivered to devices, even if they were set on silent. The alert lasted for around 10 seconds.
The government alert was sent to every compatible mobile phone in impacted areas, containing information about the red warning and guidance on how to stay safe into Saturday.
Outside of test scenarios, the alert system has been used twice before, though both times on a smaller scale.
All three of us in this household received that message on our mobile phones - it startled the heck out of us!
CfN.
First experience of a government alert via mobile phone this evening.
Scared the bejeebus out of me while I was driving home from shopping.
Scared the bejeebus out of me while I was driving home from shopping.
