Phone emergency alert: Millions of mobiles will blare out warning in nationwide test
All mobile phones in the UK will sound a 10-second alert at some stage before the end of the year to test the way of getting information to people in a crisis.
The government is planning to test the Emergency Alert System, which is a warning about a major event and also gives advice on what to do.
It was launched in 2023 and has been used four times, including for the worst-hit areas when Storm Eowyn hit in January this year.
Sources have said that the government wants to test the system because of the Iran-Israel conflict - although the EAS is not just a war drill - it can be used for severe weather, chemical spills and any incident in which in there is a danger to life.
Previous messages have said: "This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK Government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.
"In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information.”
The date of the test has not been revealed and it is believed that it will be the last one of 2025, with the system tested every two years after that.
The alarm will go off even if devices are set to silent and will sound with a loud alarm and vibration, different to a standard notification tone. It is possible to turn off the alerts, should you not want to be bothered by the siren.