Latest news with #UKtest
Digital Trends
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Digital Trends
A simultaneous smartphone shock is coming for Brits
Imagine the cacophony of some 85 million smartphones all going off at once. Well, that's precisely what's going to happen in the U.K. in September. It's part of a test of the U.K.'s emergency alert system, and will involve the phones vibrating and making a siren sound for 10 seconds. The handsets will also show a message, though the precise wording has yet to be revealed. Recommended Videos The alert will go out across the country at 3 p.m. on September 7, with trains, buses, parks, beaches, and other communal spots set to erupt in a deafening chorus of tens of millions of phones all blaring at once. Orderly librarians will just have to suck it up. The alerts are used by the authorities to deliver urgent information directly to mobile devices during emergencies such as severe weather events and terrorist attacks, with instructions given on how to best protect lives and/or property. While the test will be conducted nationwide, the system can be used to target particular areas, depending on the precise nature of the emergency. In December 2024, for example, people in several parts of the U.K. received alerts about extremely strong winds that were incoming. Another local alert was sent last year following the discovery of a World War II bomb in a busy part of Plymouth, about 190 miles west of London. Many other nations operate similar emergency systems and run regular tests, including the U.S. and Japan. Some countries, such as Finland, test their systems monthly, while others, like Germany, carry out the procedure annually. Lawmaker and senior government member Pat McFadden said: 'Emergency alerts have the potential to save lives, allowing us to share essential information rapidly in emergency situations including extreme storms. Just like the fire alarm in your house, it's important we test the system so that we know it will work if we need it.' U.K. officials will be hoping that September's test goes more smoothly than the first one that it conducted two years ago. In that one, some people received the alert earlier than expected, while some failed to get it at all. While the government recommends that Brits keep the emergency alerts function enabled, it is possible to opt out of receiving them.
The Guardian
08-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
UK to test nationwide emergency alert system for second time
The UK will hold a further test of its emergency alert system on 7 September this year – and putting your mobile phone on silent won't mute the alarm. The government system is designed to warn if there is danger to life nearby, including severe weather threats. It also allows the sending of vital information and advice. Mobile phones will vibrate and make a siren sound for about 10 seconds, along with a message confirming the handset takeover is just a test. There are about 87m mobile phones in the UK, although people will not receive the alert if their device is turned off or connected to a 2G or 3G network. Switching the phone to silent will fail to deter the alert. Pat McFadden, the chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, said: 'Emergency alerts have the potential to save lives, allowing us to share essential information rapidly in emergency situations including extreme storms. Just like the fire alarm in your house, it's important we test the system so that we know it will work if we need it.' The 7 September test is the system's second nationwide drill after the test in April 2023, although some mobile phone users said at the time that their devices had not sounded off, with the problem traced to specific networks. The system has been used five times, albeit not at a UK-wide level. Approximately 4.5 million people in Scotland and Northern Ireland received an alert during Storm Éowyn in January 2025, after the Met Office issued a severe weather warning. Other examples include a warning over an unexploded second world war bomb in Plymouth and flash flooding in Cumbria and Leicestershire. Tracey Lee, the chief executive of Plymouth city council, said the alert 'proved to be an invaluable tool during the Keyham bomb operation'. She added: 'This was the first time the system had been used in a real emergency, and it played a vital role in helping us safely evacuate over 10,000 people and coordinate a complex, multi-agency response.' Before the second nationwide test the government will also flag it is taking place, in an effort to assist vulnerable groups such as those facing domestic abuse, who may have secret mobile phones which they want to remain hidden from their partners. Other countries, including Japan and the US, also regularly test their emergency alert systems. On Tuesday, McFadden will also unveil a new resilience action plan, which includes advice for how the British public should prepare for emergencies. Ministers will also publish an update on how they are implementing the 2023 Biological Security Strategy, aimed at preparing for future pandemics.
