Emergency Alert National Test

The UK Government will be running a national test of the Emergency Alerts system on Sunday 7 September 2025 at 3pm. The test is not intended to alert you to real danger and you will not need to take any further action. Your mobile phone or tablet may: The sound and vibration will last for…

theorkneynews

August 30, 2025

1–2 minutes

alert, emergency, mobile, News, test

The UK Government will be running a national test of the Emergency Alerts system on Sunday 7 September 2025 at 3pm.

The test is not intended to alert you to real danger and you will not need to take any further action.

Your mobile phone or tablet may:

make a loud siren-like sound, even if it’s set on silent
vibrate
read out the alert

The sound and vibration will last for about 10 seconds.

The test alert will be sent to all compatible 4G and 5G mobile phones and compatible tablets across the UK.

This follows the first successful national test in April 2023.

Information about the upcoming national test is available in British Sign Language (BSL) and Easy Read formats.

2 responses to “Emergency Alert National Test”

S Davidson

August 30, 2025 at 12:57 pm

Technically, it would not pose a problem at all to utilise in parallel other systems. Such as sending SMS (which even old brick phones would receive) and sending messages to landline phones.
In the absence of sirens in most places, isn’t it almost criminal negligence when alerts are only sent to people who own a certain type of device? A device that is not a legal requirement to own?
There could be “crises” looming that might well disrupt the networks. Jamming… radar priority overruling civilian use of networks, congestion, power failure … just to mention a few, are some that would appear plausible. Believing that in a real emergency all would function, is unrealistic.
Also, there are still many people who don’t have a “compatible” device. Some elderly, disabled or people for whom it would simply be a waste of money because they do not need and do not want such a device in daily life.
Apparently, it is their own fault. They are apparently not worthy to be alerted if things go south.

Well, looking at the bright side… Sunday at 3 we won’t hear a thing and enjoy a quiet afternoon.

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berniebell1955

September 1, 2025 at 10:57 am

Fair enough if The Powers That Be see fit to warn us about something or other, but I’ve never seen the point in the idea of the ‘4 minute warning’.

What are we supposed to do? Apart from spending what might be our last minutes on earth, being frightened?

I’m reminded of a song by Leon Rosselson….

https://lrsc.weebly.com/002-dear-john-profumo.html

I can’t track down the lyrics, so will post whet I can remember of them. My big brother had the EP (remember those?)….

“It just isn’t worth it at all, John Profumo, it just isn’t worth at all.

You see we’re not clever like you, we wouldn’t know what to do, we’d only play Bingo or some other thing-O it just isn’t worth it at all John Profumo it just isn’t worth it at all.

You see we’re not decent like you, we wouldn’t know what to do, we’d go to low dives, or beat up our wives. It just isn’t worth it at all John Profumo, it just isn’t worth it at all”.

This alarm seems particularly pointless considering the fact that not everyone can receive it.

Meanwhile, we try to get on with our lives, while The Powers That Be…play their games.

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