Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the government should retest the mobile phone emergency alert?

56 replies

listsandbudgets · 06/10/2024 13:03

For some reason I had an horrendous nightmare last night about a scenario where this didn't work and it got me thinking.

You may remember that they did this a couple of years ago maybe more so that all mobile phones would alert at once.

To my knowledge they've not tested it since. It's not that (apart from in my nightmares) I'm particularly expecting an emergency but wouldn't it be better for them to identify any issues that could have developed with the system before they actually need it? I'm not a techy but I could imagine things like phone software and security updates might have caused issues.

OP posts:
Yerdawasasausagemaker · 07/10/2024 01:36

no thank you I don’t want to receive a bloody text from the government when I can’t trust them at the best of times

since1986 · 07/10/2024 00:22

2MargerinesOnTheGo · 07/10/2024 00:12

I know what it is for ffs. Whose to say they wouldn’t report the death of the king? I live rurally. There are no chemical plants near here, no rivers for flash floods. Natural disasters unheard of. Nuclear war and we are all fucked. There are no bunkers. So I choose to opt out.

Show quote history

Do you only ever stay in your postcode area or do you travel around the country, like ever? 🙄 But from your comments, I'm not convinced it'd be the latter anyway.

fridaynight1 · 07/10/2024 00:18

I switched mine off so I didn't get the last alert.

NeverEnoughPants · 07/10/2024 00:18

They certainly discussed testing it every two years. Not sure if that has been put in place.

There was definitely another test alert - but it might have been localised or maybe for people that didn't get the first one, as in didn't get the first one, but I got one a while later.

2MargerinesOnTheGo · 07/10/2024 00:12

since1986 · 07/10/2024 00:02

It's for localised flash flooding, natural disaster type alerts, nuclear threats and chemical warfare. Its not because the King has died ffs 🙄

Show quote history

I know what it is for ffs. Whose to say they wouldn’t report the death of the king? I live rurally. There are no chemical plants near here, no rivers for flash floods. Natural disasters unheard of. Nuclear war and we are all fucked. There are no bunkers. So I choose to opt out.

since1986 · 07/10/2024 00:05

mitogoshigg · 07/10/2024 00:03

@since1986

Giffgaff is on O2 and it worked just fine

Whichever. One of the cheap euro ones piggybacks on 3 too 🤷🏼‍♀️ that one didnt work either whichever one it was.

Edingril · 07/10/2024 00:04

So people want a mass panic warning so this will help their anxiety OK why?

mitogoshigg · 07/10/2024 00:03

@since1986

Giffgaff is on O2 and it worked just fine

since1986 · 07/10/2024 00:02

2MargerinesOnTheGo · 06/10/2024 23:58

I turned it off. I cannot think of a scenario where I want to know anything the government thinks I want to know. It would make me jump for starters, others or the media can alert me. I don’t want an emergency alert should the King snuff it, for example. I could be driving.

Edited

It's for localised flash flooding, natural disaster type alerts, nuclear threats and chemical warfare. Its not because the King has died ffs 🙄

mitogoshigg · 07/10/2024 00:02

@2MargerinesOnTheGo

It's used for civil emergencies overseas like eg volcanic eruption, could also be used in a crime situation and where we live there's a siren system for chemical factories but my double glazing is too good so useful then

since1986 · 07/10/2024 00:01

shesamarshmallow · 06/10/2024 13:07

I didn’t get the last one and have been totally unable to work out why. It really stressed me out. DH didn’t think to mention it as he assumed I’d got it too and while I’ve asked him to tell me about any future ones, I worry he won’t remember.

But this is FOMO on my part more than thinking it would actually contain any info I can’t get from news sites.

Most people on the Three network or networks that piggyback their network (giffgaff etc) didn't get it. What Network are you with?

mitogoshigg · 07/10/2024 00:00

It worked well in Plymouth apparently. If had alerts overseas too despite having a U.K. registered phone

2MargerinesOnTheGo · 06/10/2024 23:58

I turned it off. I cannot think of a scenario where I want to know anything the government thinks I want to know. It would make me jump for starters, others or the media can alert me. I don’t want an emergency alert should the King snuff it, for example. I could be driving.

Apolitia · 06/10/2024 23:53

I think it’s a bit pointless really.

Almost no-one would have anywhere actually safe they couoe go from ballistic missile, aerial bombardment or nuclear attack.

it’s not like Israel where people have bunkers :(

probablt more useful if a non- military local disaster or extreme weather event …

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 06/10/2024 23:48

I was on a girls weekend away the last time It was tested & only 3 of our group got the alert. Not that any of us were bothered!

PepaWepa · 06/10/2024 23:43

ginasevern · 06/10/2024 13:22

I don't really see the point. If we haven't been given drills for whatever disaster is about to strike, what good will it do. Genuinely sorry if I'm missing something here.

True. I wouldn't know what to do, I'd probably just ring my mum and we'd both be clueless together.

Original poster
listsandbudgets · 06/10/2024 22:07

interesting most of you disagree with me.

@ginasevern does make a very good point that we'd most likely have no idea what to do anyway!!

I'm glad it was used in Plymouth - I didn't know it had been. At least that's a test of sorts.

OP posts:
twomanyfrogsinabox · 06/10/2024 13:32

Two out of three of us didn't get the alert last time. Surely they should have done something at the time to improve the way it was sent. Perhaps to the lowest common denominator type phone rather than the newest. I think mine should have got it but didn't, my DH's is an elderly work phone which was probably a bit too primitive. Only the young and tech savvy need to be warned apparently.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 06/10/2024 13:32

So many things seem to have fallen by the wayside these days.
I've had to spend good-earned money on an alarm clock since these people can't be bothered anymore. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knocker-up

Attelina · 06/10/2024 13:26

No. It's a load of old town. I won't know anyone who didn't make sure their phone would receive it.

Thfrog · 06/10/2024 13:25

Needanadultgapyear · 06/10/2024 13:21

It has been used on 23/2/24 to warn residents in Plymouth of risk from an unexploded WW2 bomb. Just not newsworthy when something works.

Exactly. It's been used

StillAtTheRestaurant · 06/10/2024 13:23

I've turned it off so they can do what they like!

ginasevern · 06/10/2024 13:22

I don't really see the point. If we haven't been given drills for whatever disaster is about to strike, what good will it do. Genuinely sorry if I'm missing something here.

Needanadultgapyear · 06/10/2024 13:21

It has been used on 23/2/24 to warn residents in Plymouth of risk from an unexploded WW2 bomb. Just not newsworthy when something works.

Cynic17 · 06/10/2024 13:19

I never bothered with the last one, and I wouldn't bother with another one. My phone is always on silent, and often in a different room. For most people, it would be pointless and unnecessary.

Swipe left for the next trending thread