SOUND THE ALARM
Brits hit by emergency alert test – but customers of a major network are left in the dark
BRITS have been hit by a terrifying security text siren today - but thousands of customers of a major phone network were left in the dark.
Around 85 million phones on 4G and 5G were set to hear the ten second alarm at 3pm.
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The emergency test was the same volume as a ringtone as it vibrated handhelds and came with a 'Severe Alert' message.
It read: "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 for more information. This is a test. You do not need to take any action."
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The jolting alarm shocked some Brits and even set off dogs who were heard barking up and down the country.
But users on the Three mobile network complained of not even receiving the alert.
One person said: "Well, that was an anti-climax, did not work on the Three network in South Derbyshire."
Another added: "Didn’t work for anyone in my family and we’re all on ThreeNetwork and One on IDmobile."
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Three - like O2, Vodafone and EE - runs its own network and does not piggyback on others like Tesco Mobile.
Three later revealed it was working with the government to explain why its users were left in the dark.
In a statement, a spokesperson said: "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."
SOUND THE ALARM
Ministers had said the system will make it easier for the public to be notified of major incidents like terror attacks and severe weather.
But the Cabinet Office revealed this afternoon it would be reviewing the outcome of the UK-wide test.
The department said that, while the vast majority of compatible phones received the alert, officials were aware that a "very small proportion of mobile users on some networks did not receive it".
It said that would be looked into as part of the review of Sunday's test.
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."
TERRIFYING TEXT
Those who did get the alarm took to Twitter seconds to post how terrifying it was seconds later.
One person said: "The emergency alert system just scared the f*** out of me."
A second added "that alert was a bit loud" while another joked "it was so dalek like".
Others reported receiving the alert at different times, while some said theirs was narrated.
One person wrote on Twitter: "Confusingly my wife’s alert went off a min before mine - same phone, same network, in the same room."
One said: "I did not receive the emergency alert text when the rest of my family did. A bit concerning."
Those that did not hear a siren may have emergency alerts switched off in their settings - which football clubs asked crowds to do today.
This morning Oliver Dowden MP told Sky News on Sunday how keeping the public safe is "the number one job of government" and the alert system "could save your life."
The Deputy PM added: "This is just a test, you don't need to do anything, it's rather like a fire alarm test.
"It's a bit irritating at the time but in future people could be grateful for it because in a real emergency this could be the sound that saves your life."
Mr Dowden rejected claims it could panic Brits - pointing to a "positive" 140,000 person pilot of the tech in Reading, Berks.
"Most British people in these situations keep calm and carry on", he added.
But there are fresh fears the system could be hacked by rogue protesters seeking to spark chaos.
They can reportedly send fake alerts within a kilometre radius on less than £1,000 of equipment.
The government's alert works on all 4G and 5G phones in the UK, as well as iPhone’s on iOS 14.5 or later, and phones and tablets running with Android 11.
The emergency services have other ways to warn you when there is a threat to life.
You can turn off emergency alerts on your phone at any time.
On iPhone, go to settings, then notifications, with switches at the bottom where you can turn off extreme and severe alerts.
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On an Android phone, the toggle for emergency alerts is under settings, then notifications, then wireless emergency alerts.