Public emergency alerts to be sent to all UK smartphones on 23rd April

Grumpy_chap

How thoughtful of the Government to do all this to save our lives:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65360576

So very exciting, only 6 hours or so to go

facade

[Deleted User] said:

spenderdave said:

The fundamental flaw with this way of doing alerts is assuming everybody has a mobile phone and it is on their person at the time. 

So what is a better solution with a wider reach?

Don't think there is one but happy to be corrected.

In Japan they have the 'phone system, TV & radio emergency alerts, also towns & villages have public address systems (If you've seen "Kimi no na wa / Your Name" Mitsuha/Taki uses it to evacuate Itomori when the comet is about to break up).

I quite like the idea of speakers built into all those fibre to the premises boxes on the telegraph poles, every morning at 8:00 we could have a "Good Morning Slumtown, the weather is sunny, don't forget your umbrella" or similar.

I believe we have the capacity to send TV & radio emergency alerts too, but these are more National, the 'phone system is local.

Have to say my confidence is dented somewhat by the majority of 'phones not being able to receive it!

RumRat

missile said:

spenderdave said:

90% may well be the coverage extent of 4G/5G rather than the number of phones which can do it.
My six month old android frequently shows connected to H+ rather than 4G. This seems somewhere between 3G and 4G and it is not clear whether that will get the alerts. In all a pretty bad show if only 25% of phones are capable of receiving it and half of those have disabled alerts.
The fundamental flaw with this way of doing alerts is assuming everybody has a mobile phone and it is on their person at the time. Unless I expect to need the phone it sits in standby at home where it will be this afternoon when I am on my afternoon walk.

Millennials never go anywhere without their phone. No doubt RumRat would call this natural selection.

He would.....😏😄

Grumpy_chap

I was thinking people would take more notice if there was a gentleperson in a fancy suit, carrying a bell and reading from parchment "Hear ye, hear ye, XXX event is imminent, take precaution".
Because this carries a cost, the likelihood of the process ever being used for stuff that is not an actual emergency is very low.

flaneurs_lobster

Will my 4G smartwatch running Wear OS receive the alert test?

Sarahspangles

flaneurs_lobster said:

Will my 4G smartwatch running Wear OS receive the alert test?

In 3 hours time you'll find out I'm leaving everything on as I'm intrigued what will alert.

Andy_L

[Deleted User] said:

spenderdave said:

The fundamental flaw with this way of doing alerts is assuming everybody has a mobile phone and it is on their person at the time. 

So what is a better solution with a wider reach?

Don't think there is one but happy to be corrected.

10 characters

flaneurs_lobster

Sarahspangles said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Will my 4G smartwatch running Wear OS receive the alert test?

In 3 hours time you'll find out I'm leaving everything on as I'm intrigued what will alert.

Good point, I guess that's one reason why we have tests. I've got six mobiles lined up on the sofa ready to go too.

Sarahspangles

flaneurs_lobster said:

Sarahspangles said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Will my 4G smartwatch running Wear OS receive the alert test?

In 3 hours time you'll find out I'm leaving everything on as I'm intrigued what will alert.

Good point, I guess that's one reason why we have tests. I've got six mobiles lined up on the sofa ready to go too.

I'll bite - six mobiles?  

flaneurs_lobster

Sarahspangles said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Sarahspangles said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Will my 4G smartwatch running Wear OS receive the alert test?

In 3 hours time you'll find out I'm leaving everything on as I'm intrigued what will alert.

Good point, I guess that's one reason why we have tests. I've got six mobiles lined up on the sofa ready to go too.

I'll bite - six mobiles?  

Me/partner's regular mobiles
my hot backup mobile
partner's previous (rubbish) Oppo mobile
my previous mobile that normally lives in the car
a Moto G7 that's used as a media streamer/emergency phone