Some people in Liverpool city centre were confused when their phones sounded with the government's test alarm.
The government tested its new national emergency alert system today (April 23). The loud alarm was scheduled to ring at 3pm on all devices that were using 4G and 5G networks in the UK.
The alert rang for 10 seconds and displayed a message notifying phone users that no action was needed in response to the test. It is designed to warn the public if there is a danger to life nearby and will be used in the future for life-threatening situations including flooding and wildfires.
READ MORE: Three mobile network responds after some customers were not notified
The ECHO was on Church Street for the scheduled alert. There were three audible bleeps at around 3pm, as many people's phones received the alert at different times.
The first sounded just before 3pm, before one shortly after the hour and another at around 3.02pm.
One woman passing told the ECHO she had "no clue" what the alert was. There was confusion as a number of people stopped to check their phones and were not sure what was going on.
Lee Allen, from Neston, was looking at his phone as he walked down Church Street. He told the ECHO he was confused by the alert and was not aware that it would happen.
He said: "My phone made a high-pitched noise. It could be quite distressing.
"If a pensioner got it, I think they could be worried. I don't think it was publicised enough".
However, a group of American tourists said they were well aware of what was happening. Amy, from St. Louis, Missouri, and her group were in Liverpool on a Viking British Isles cruise.
She said: "We were told on the ship over that the alert would sound today. It didn't shock us at all, we get them all the time".
Another member of the group added: "We get ours for tornados, though".
Some people reported getting the alert at 2.59pm, with others at 3.01pm.
One man later told the ECHO: "I was driving and it started blaring out of the car speakers. It gave me a fright".
However, many people reported not getting alerts at all, including customers on the Three mobile network. The government has confirmed that a review will be conducted to find out why a some users did not receive the 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.”
In a statement, a spokesman for Three 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."
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