A new public alert system will see a siren-like emergency warning message sent by the government to all mobile phone users in the UK. The alert will be sent next month and it will see a message appear on people's home screens.
As part of the alert, your phone will vibrate before a loud warning sound is played. This will ring for about 10 seconds - even if your phone is on silent.
While this is happening, your phone will effectively be locked, with users unable to use other features while the alert is being played. Users will then be able to regain access by acknowledging the alert.
The nationwide message is due to be sent on Sunday, April 23. The system is being modelled on similar schemes which already exist in the US, Japan, The Netherlands and Canada.
They are intended to be used for life-threatening situations, with a focus on serious weather-related events, including flooding. The alert will include details of the places affected as well as instructions about how to respond.
These messages will come directly from the government or emergency services and will only be sent when there is an immediate risk to life. This means many people may not receive such an alert for months or even years at a time.
It is possible to opt out of the alerts by searching
for emergency alerts in device settings. You can select to turn off
severe and extreme ones but officials have advised people against doing
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