Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
...or to undermine the system.
It didn't seem unpleasant to me - and it would stand out from other ringtones. For a while, anyway!
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UK Emergency Alert Tests 2025
- Thread starter Woolos 22
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RailUK Forums
Tracked
Established Member
Turned mine off beforehand, I was at a music festival when they went off, the singer on at the time finished their first song, then peoples' phones went off for a few seconds, gig continued 
StoneRoad
Member
I mean that is sort of the point
From memory the tones (which is the same or very similar to the US Emergency Alert System "Attention Tone" broadcast on radio or TV) are deliberately designed to be unpleasant/annoying in the way that they clash in order to get the attention of anyone hearing it. Even if that attention is initially "What is that godawful noise and how to do I stop it?"
That seems unlikely to me? Why would people want that particular sound as their ringtone?
It was not as noticeable as the RNLI pager tone [or what I remember as the pager] or the one I recall being played by the ROC system.
Ashley Hill
Established Member
Got it this time. Don’t know what was different as I haven’t changed my phone.
What mobile network were you on last time? There was a big issue with one of them not getting it (3 and those that use their infrastructure from memory).
Ashley Hill
Established Member
Myself and Mrs H both use O2. Last time she had it and I didn’t. This time we both received it.
dangie
On Moderation
Can’t really understand why so many seem to be complaining that they didn’t receive the alert, as in the future when a genuine alert does come they’d probably take no notice of it anyway.
In that case no idea! Very odd...
Does anyone know how you turn these alerts off fully? I thought I had as I didn't get any of the UK test ones. At the weekend I got two alerts. I checked and my phone (which is Android) has "Allow Alerts" disabled and the "Extreme Alerts" and "Severe Alerts" settings underneath are also off (and greyed out). I was in Spain at the time, so I wondered if it was because I was roaming onto a different network if it was some sort of per network setting rather than for the phone. However I double checked the settings immediately afterwards and it was still turned off? So I don't understand how it was I got the alert.
It was an alert for thunderstorms and to "avoid travel and outdoor activities". I was on the bus at a time, so everyones phone went off and I was travelling back to the hotel as I had indeed abandoned activities due to the weather so not a lot I could do at that point (surely safer to stay on the bus to your destination as I did). I wonder how distracting for the driver this must haven been too when suddenly there is all that noise when they are not expecting it, as it wasn't a test. He did pull over at a stop for a time before continuing, possibly to check what the message said.
I have added a screenshot of the settings I have. Perhaps there is another setting somewhere?
It was an alert for thunderstorms and to "avoid travel and outdoor activities". I was on the bus at a time, so everyones phone went off and I was travelling back to the hotel as I had indeed abandoned activities due to the weather so not a lot I could do at that point (surely safer to stay on the bus to your destination as I did). I wonder how distracting for the driver this must haven been too when suddenly there is all that noise when they are not expecting it, as it wasn't a test. He did pull over at a stop for a time before continuing, possibly to check what the message said.
I have added a screenshot of the settings I have. Perhaps there is another setting somewhere?
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greatkingrat
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You can't opt out. There are three levels of alerts, you can opt out of level 2 and 3 alerts using the setting shown above, but it is not possible to opt out of level 1 alerts. Presumably Spain are sending their alerts out at level 1, hence it ignores the settings. At present the UK alerts have been sent out at level 2, although they might use level 1 if there was a genuine emergency.
Is this the 'Presidential Alert' which has been mentioned previously?
In this case is the sound influenced by the volume control, as distinct from the mute function? Or does it sound at full volume regardless of user wish?
My understanding is that the UK has chosen not to use the Presidential Alert, to avoid revealing hidden phones of e.g. domestic violence victims.
And what, dare I ask, is a 'genuine emergency'?
Given that a phone which is switched off or in aeroplane mode cannot (one hopes!) receive alerts, one wonders who thought the Presidential Alert was a good idea
Whilst I am very in favour of an emergency alert system based on mobile phones, I hope that we don't go down the same road as this. Those are not things worth an emergency alert.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
The US uses them for all manner of stuff which isn't really what I'd consider an emergency alert either, e.g. missing people. Having a way to alert people about these is a good idea, but not using this mechanism. A normal SMS text message would be appropriate.
Yes as presumably you could also arrange it so that the SMS is only sent to devices connected to specific relevant phone towers meaning it remains neatly targeted to relevant people? A WhatsApp channel was another thing that occurred as being a good way of doing alerts like this. The UK Government actually has one though most of the stuff it puts out isn't that interesting. 6 October was a reminder to get a Flu Jab, 4 September was a reminder about various schemes around funded childcare, free school meals and similar. I could see a use case for the various territorial police forces, for instance, to have a WhatsApp channel for various alerts like that US example.
100%, it's a good idea, and so far we've done it right by saving it for genuine emergencies and not using that top tier which can't be disabled. I really do hope we don't stoop to the level of other countries by changing either of those things
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
The UK indeed does seem to have it about right. The top tier I'm a bit unsure about - I could see it being valid to use it if there was something like an incoming ballistic missile attack, but it could prove a problem if it was a false alarm to those with hidden phones so not using it at all is perhaps the right approach.
Perhaps a couple of lower categories should be added for "missing person alerts" and the likes, which would not come with the loud noise, just a normal SMS tone/vibration. But it's all US driven so we largely have to go with what they say.
This would make sense to me (disablable of course). I think the US are sadly too attached to their garish siren noise to let that happen
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It is very much in line with their approach to the emergency services generally - look at their fire engines which are as much designed for looks as practicality (our rather duller, boxier ones are designed purely for practicality).
Buzby
Established Member
It doesn’t use SMS (which requires an ’address’ to deliver the message). Instead, it uses Cell Broadcast, which will deliver the pre-formed message to all mobiles registered on that cell tower (or group of towers in an area). Your mobile number isn’t known to the system, but the IMEI is.
Yes, I'm aware. We were talking about an alternative for less important messages:
How can this be correct? It must be a bug if there is a setting to turn off emergency alerts that doesn't actually turn them off? A thunderstorm and advise not to be outside during it (which was the alert I got) doesn't seem like a dire emergency but common sense.
Buzby
Established Member
You wouldn’t (couldn’t?) use SMS as an alternative - the only condition to be met is that the number exists and can be looked up on the networks HLR (Home Location Register). As previously described, there are various ‘classes of service’ which public mobiles in times of emergency can be blocked from accessing, whereas (say) NHS mobiles, would. It’s called an Access Control Overlay, and is rarely activated - a network could randomly inhibit access to a cellsite to a percentage of users simply to stop overloading. Cell Broadcast can work in the same way, with classes of data you wish to receive on a per-handset basis, however it could be self-defeating, if users opt out (like cookies) then will not receive lower graded alerts. Which is probably why it’s not an option!
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
You can't turn them off entirely aside from flight mode or turning the phone off completely. You can turn off Severe and Extreme but not Presidential alerts.
The highest level alerts are sent regardless of settings. This is by design, not a bug.
The issue, if there is one, is with Spain abusing this highest level of alert for something which should use one of the lower levels. You'd have to speak to the Spanish government about that!
If the slider says to turn off emergency alerts and it doesn't do that then it's a bug. It doesn't make clear that it only actually disables some of them.
At best it's poor communication.
greatkingrat
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Blame the USA. It is illegal to sell phones in the US that can block presidential alerts. Beacause Apple/Google are lazy, they just make it impossible to disable the alerts anywhere in the world.
generalnerd
Member
BBC television almost launched this, interestingly, but it never made it through. Obviously not on phones but still interesting non the less.
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