Emergency alert test: Welsh language message contained spelling mistake, government admits

The Welsh language national emergency alert test sent out on phones on Sunday contained a spelling error, the Government has confirmed.

The loud alarm, which rang at 3pm on all devices that were using 4G and 5G networks in the UK, lasted 10 seconds and displayed a message notifying phone users that no action was needed in response to the test. However in Wales, for the translation of the English phrase “others safe”, the message reportedly read “eraill yn Vogel” when it should have said “eraill yn ddiogel”.

People took to social media to point out and criticise the mistake.

A Government spokesperson said: “A technical error caused one word in the Welsh language version of the emergency test alert to be misspelt. The fact that this occurred in a test alert will mean we can rectify it in future.”

One person said on Twitter: “What is “yn Vogel” meant to mean @UKGovWales? This has been in the headlines for weeks and weeks and weeks and you couldn’t find a single person to proofread the Cymraeg translation?”

Review into why all phones didn’t receive text

A review will be conducted to find out why a “very small proportion of mobile users” did not receive the test of a new national emergency alert system on Sunday (23 April). The Cabinet Office said the “vast majority of compatible phones” received the alert as part of what was said to be the biggest public communications exercise carried out in the UK.

But the Government department said it was aware that the 10- second alarm and message notification was not delivered to some mobile phones. Customers on the Three mobile phone network were among those to report not receiving the communication test.

The network provider said it would be working with the UK Government to understand what had happened. A small number of people have also taken to social media to flag that they have not been able to make or receive calls since the 3pm alarm went off on their device.

The Cabinet Office stated that engineers had not spotted a trend of phone functions failing to work afterwards, but said officials were in the early stages of analysing the results of the trial run.

A UK Government spokesman said: “We have effectively completed the test of the UK-wide Emergency Alerts system, the biggest public communications exercise of its kind ever done. We are working with mobile network operators to review the outcome and any lessons learned.”

In a statement, a spokesman for Three added: “We are aware that a number of customers have not received the test alert. We are working closely with the Government to understand why and ensure it doesn’t happen when the system is in use.”

What will emergency alert system be used for?

Once established, the emergency alert system is designed to warn the public if there is a danger to life nearby. In future, a similarly loud notification and message will be sent to those the UK Government is seeking to reach.

The system is intended to be used in life-threatening situations including flooding and wildfires.