Other UK Emergency Alerts

[polyphenol]

This afternoon, at 15:00, the UK had its first mobile phone Severe Alert/Emergency Alert test. It appeared to work!

Somewhat surprised to get the message in both Welsh and English - appropriate as I live in Wales. Can't imagine that happening in a real emergency (unless they have some ready-prepared and translated messages).

But a few issues arise!

I noticed nothing on my Apple Watch;
Nor on my iPad (cellular but it has not got a SIM);
Nor my macOS devices (MBP and mini).

I'm well aware that the emergency alerts don't use SMS, but I somehow expected them to received this alert. Not via 4G, nor via my internet connection - but in more or less the same way that SMS get sent through iMessage across my devices.

Since I chose to get iMessages mirrored, it has usually worked brilliantly. I rarely need to make sure I have my phone nearby. That is, if I go upstairs to my Mac mini, I'm likely to leave my iPhone downstairs. Obviously not if expecting an actual phone call but for messages it is fine.

Which also makes me wonder if I'd receive an alert if my phone was connected via Wifi but not 4G? (Whether by choice or simply due to where I am and signals available.)

Also, do these alerts get stored long-term anywhere? Today's alert shows up under Notification Centre but can I ever get back to the message if I cancel it?

(All my devices are on current latest full release versions including updates.)

 

[kitKAC]

I got the emergency alert on both my iPhone and Apple Watch (with both making a very loud alert sound at the same time). My Watch is cellular but doesn't have an active connection so it was just mirrored from my iPhone.

As you say, these alerts aren't SMS so there's no reason they'd show up on an iPad or Mac. (You'd want 4 devices all blaring alerts all at once?).

 

[ukms]

This afternoon, at 15:00, the UK had its first mobile phone Severe Alert/Emergency Alert test. It appeared to work!

Somewhat surprised to get the message in both Welsh and English - appropriate as I live in Wales. Can't imagine that happening in a real emergency (unless they have some ready-prepared and translated messages).

But a few issues arise!

I noticed nothing on my Apple Watch;
Nor on my iPad (cellular but it has not got a SIM);
Nor my macOS devices (MBP and mini).

I'm well aware that the emergency alerts don't use SMS, but I somehow expected them to received this alert. Not via 4G, nor via my internet connection - but in more or less the same way that SMS get sent through iMessage across my devices.

Since I chose to get iMessages mirrored, it has usually worked brilliantly. I rarely need to make sure I have my phone nearby. That is, if I go upstairs to my Mac mini, I'm likely to leave my iPhone downstairs. Obviously not if expecting an actual phone call but for messages it is fine.

Which also makes me wonder if I'd receive an alert if my phone was connected via Wifi but not 4G? (Whether by choice or simply due to where I am and signals available.)

Also, do these alerts get stored long-term anywhere? Today's alert shows up under Notification Centre but can I ever get back to the message if I cancel it?

(All my devices are on current latest full release versions including updates.)

Slightly puzzled Why would you expect it on a MBP and mini ? It’s broadcast from cellular masts. Which is also why you would get dual language in Wales.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I had it too, forgot it’s was due though and stood there wondering what the hell the noise was

Nothing came through on my Apple Watch.

 

[polyphenol]

Slightly puzzled Why would you expect it on a MBP and mini ? It’s broadcast from cellular masts. Which is also why you would get dual language in Wales.

I thought it might have been mirrored in the same way that iMessage/SMS is. That is, if my phone is on my local Wifi, there would be the option to see it on other Apple devices. I'd want that so if I was using my MBP or mini, but my phone was downstairs, likely out of hearing range, I'd still see the alert.

The surprise about Welsh was that someone had realised. I had not seen any mention of that until today. (They did make a big mistake using a non-Welsh word with a non-Welsh letter in it! Which is par for the course.)

The reason for discussion was at least partly to discuss with others whether they had the same experience, and their thoughts about it.

 

[polyphenol]

I got the emergency alert on both my iPhone and Apple Watch (with both making a very loud alert sound at the same time). My Watch is cellular but doesn't have an active connection so it was just mirrored from my iPhone.

As you say, these alerts aren't SMS so there's no reason they'd show up on an iPad or Mac. (You'd want 4 devices all blaring alerts all at once?).

In a real emergency, I'd definitely rather have all four devices blaring than miss it.

I was just in front of my house and did not notice my watch do anything. But maybe I acknowledged the phone very quickly?

Just wondering if it can come through on a watch [corrected] even it it has an inactive SIM. Like SOS calls on phones?

 

[weckart]

This afternoon, at 15:00, the UK had its first mobile phone Severe Alert/Emergency Alert test. It appeared to work!

Somewhat surprised to get the message in both Welsh and English - appropriate as I live in Wales. Can't imagine that happening in a real emergency (unless they have some ready-prepared and translated messages).

But a few issues arise!

I noticed nothing on my Apple Watch;
Nor on my iPad (cellular but it has not got a SIM);
Nor my macOS devices (MBP and mini).

There are lots of reports from Three users saying they didn't get an alert at all. My friend was one. I am on O2 and got mine at 14:59 for some reason. Seems like there are teething troubles with this service.

 

[polyphenol]

There are lots of reports from Three users saying they didn't get an alert at all. My friend was one. I am on O2 and got mine at 14:59 for some reason. Seems like there are teething troubles with this service.

I saw that. Mind, I am on Three and got the alert!

 

[ukms]

I’ve experienced the system in real life in the UAE, during covid they used the system to enforce the curfew and sent the alert at curfew time. Ours used to come through each evening on the iPhone and mirrored on the AW.

 

[RRC]

I turned mine off in advance, but my wife’s went off.
Having spent a fair bit of time over in Orlando, FL I’m used to this type of alert but it still catches you off guard.

 

[haydn!]

Wasn't the test specifically targeting devices on the cellular network only? So (from an Apple perspective) this would only be iPhones, cellular iPads and cellular Apple Watches.

 

[rctneil]

I'm on Three and didn't get the notification. Was ready for it, but nothing came through.

I've experienced the alerts myself during trips to the US. Once when I was visiting Knott's Berry Farm and the alert was about a missing child nearby, and the second was a Tornado alert when driving around Cincinnati.

 

[GoofyCyborg]

Came through on my iPhone 14 Pro and Watch Ultra (SMARTY Network).

 

[ukms]

It surprises me that the UK has taken so long to implement this and test it.

 

[JamesMay82]

I was just starting to nod and forgot about it so it made jump quickly ha.. i have family in America who said they had test yesterday I believe.. hope they aren’t testing these for potential red button pressing

 

[polyphenol]

Wasn't the test specifically targeting devices on the cellular network only? So (from an Apple perspective) this would only be iPhones, cellular iPads and cellular Apple Watches.

Yes. The signal was sent out over 4G and 5G.

But SMS is also sent out over cellular. And that can be mirrored onto my other Apple devices. I'm not saying the transmission of the signal should be straight to my macOS devices. Just that it seems feasible for the same sort of approach used to mirror SMS (iMessage) to also mirror these emergency event alerts.

 

[HiVolt]

Lucky you folks can disable it. Here in Canada, we cannot.

 

[akash.nu]

I’m on EE and it came through on both my phone and watch. My watch doesn’t have an active cellular service plan either but it’s capable of cellular connectivity.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

A guy I work with last week proudly bragged he’d disabled it on his phone like he’s somehow ‘made a difference’. I told him if it goes off on my phone in future and I look horrified before running for my car, don’t ask me what it said lol.

 

[bransoj]

I was out walking the dog with my earphones in and completely lost track of what time it was....made me jump as it went off through my earphones!!

 

[ukms]

Very blinkered view by some IMHO. “Switch it off it doesn’t help me” attitude.

Countless examples in other countries where these alarms have saved the lives of abducted children and many other examples of awareness of natural disasters or severe weather.

Of course some will come back and say this doesn’t happen in the UK. But you never know until you need it.

Used correctly it is great value IMHO.

 

[akash.nu]

Very blinkered view by some IMHO. “Switch it off it doesn’t help me” attitude.

Countless examples in other countries where these alarms have saved the lives of abducted children and many other examples of awareness of natural disasters or severe weather.

Of course some will come back and say this doesn’t happen in the UK. But you never know until you need it.

Used correctly it is great value IMHO.

100% agree. You don’t know when you might need it.

 

[i-Liam]

The alert hit my wifes phone at 2am! I almost had a heart attack.

 

[polyphenol]

The alert hit my wifes phone at 2am! I almost had a heart attack.

Makes me wonder if she on on Three - and their network finally delivered?

Also, if you happen to be off network when the alert goes out, even for a fraction of a second, do you entirely miss it? Or is there some sort of repeat mechanism built-in? Sort-of, the message is sent many times at intervals and includes "This is alert #0100" - if your device has already received #0100, it ignores the alert.

Just editing as I saw this somewhere:

Appears the system pumps out the message for 20 minutes - or thereabouts.

 

[JamesMay82]

Very blinkered view by some IMHO. “Switch it off it doesn’t help me” attitude.

Countless examples in other countries where these alarms have saved the lives of abducted children and many other examples of awareness of natural disasters or severe weather.

Of course some will come back and say this doesn’t happen in the UK. But you never know until you need it.

Used correctly it is great value IMHO.

Yes I really hope they can use it at a local level for a missing child or person as I do believe it could save lives. It reminds me of the amber alert system in America where they can tell you a Childs abducted and the car and license plate on motorway signs.