To wonder about the government warning to our phones.

[TarasHarp55]

Does anyone know much about this emergency warning thing on our phones. Can't remember the exact day but in April they're going to test it out. Is it fear mongering again. I'm going to switch it off, anyone else.

I don’t know, I’ve watched that old Government PIF Protect and Survive several times, I like my chances. Just wipe the radioactive dust off of you and huddle under the stairs behind a piece of wood with bags of clothes piled up against it 👍

As others have said these have been common in other countries for years. If people don't want to receive them then they switch off. Surely it doesn't require this level of discussion? Honestly, looking on from outside, it's just ridiculous.

This, live in NZ and have had the warning system for a while. It’s works well and especially as I live near the sea will alert for tsunamis, storms etc… I really don’t understand the distrust around a system that would warn you about things that could impact your safety.

It really is a none issue and I am surprised this is a new thing in the UK.

If you live by the sea it will probably be going off quite often.

Never heard of this. Would it still work if you keep calls on silent?

People are distrusting of government stuff like this because they have lived through the debacle of the Covid app which was unbelievably bad, hopefully this will be more successful.

It's absolutely fine. Lived in another country with this in place and it's very rarely used, therefore effective. It's not like sky news pinging constant to tell you what the royal family have done today.

I'm another one who doesn't understand what the fuss is about. If you would rather not get the four minute warning then turn it off in your settings.

In settings there's a "emergency warning" thing isn't there, which wasn't there till recently. So they have accessed it

They haven't accessed it. Its been added into a software update on your phone

There was a thread recently about how many years of safety and comfort have left the UK population complacent and smug. This is a prime example of it - people in the UK seem to think nothing bad will ever happen to them, only to people in other parts of the world, so why should they have a system to alert them to something which - in their eyes - will never happen. I'm in NZ also, and we seem to deal with phone alerts without descending into mass hysteria!

Yes and it will make you jump in the air the first time you hear it. Not like a regular alert 😂

The amount of fuss over this is ridiculous. It's an emergency alert system, switch it off if you really are that bothered by it. People love to complain.

I wonder how much it cost and which mate of the government got the contract

@Habibtihayatiii Hi neighbour 🤗
The one today would have been really useful if we'd been out, like you I would have altered my route home to avoid areas that I know would be impacted.

While I understand people with mental health issues switching it off for their own well-being, I can't even wrap my head around the people who are switching it off without even experiencing the test, just because they're suspicious.

I think I read that the alert comes on your phone even if it's switched off

Yes,it is more fear mongering.
It will be used when they want to start herding people into '15 minute cities' and they will play the climate change card very heavily.
Climate lock downs.
Climate restrictions.
I encourage people to read agenda 2030,which is the UNs vision for what they world will look like in that year.
Everything is heavily rationed,people are indeed living in apartments like in China and in small 'smart cities' they can't leave without a permission permit.
A social credit credit system like in China (hence getting rid of cash and pushing for digital I.Ds)
It's currently referred to as 'Build back better'
I could go on and on but if anyone's interested they can Google the document and read it for themselves.
So yeah,it's fear mongering imo.

All I know is a loud siren sounding for ten seconds will do my dog's head in.

Think some are worried about women who have a secret phone as a safety aid because they are suffering domestic abuse and it could alert the abuser to the phone.

I'm going to be abroad then. Will it still work on my phone?

Is it on phone location at that time? Or on all UK mobile numbers irrespective of location?

Hurricane, zombie apocalypse, nuclear war.....

We are one a few countries that don't have this, I don't see the issue.

I'm honestly baffled that so many people are panicking about this.

Surely a localised general message would have been useful on 07/07 to ask people in the area to get off the buses and start walking away from Central London?
It doesn't have to be for a country-wide event.

From the slightly unclear info on the Gov.uk website it seems that you have to have all of the following to receive the alerts anyway so it will be interesting to see how many people don't get the alert at all:

• Smartphone running either iOS 14.5 (or later) or Android 11 (or later), and
• be connected to a 4G/5G network

So a lot of people on older phones won't get the alerts anyway

I find the idea of these government alerts really intrusive. Anyone know if I can disable them on an android phone?

Like others I used to live in a place where this system is the norm. The vast majority of people will never get an alert for years and years, such a none issue.

The alerts are sent from the cell sites to anyone connected to them, so if you're not connected to a UK mobile network you won't get it

In settings there's a "emergency warning" thing isn't there, which wasn't there till recently. So they have accessed it
*
They haven't accessed it. Its been added into a software update on your phone*

Can you tell me where it is on an iPhone? I've looked through settings but can't see it. (And my phone has updated with the latest update recently).

People get het up about ridiculous things these days. I do wonder how some of you get through your days!

It's an alert...most countries have them...nobody is trying to 'spam' you 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️😨