Mobile phone users have received the Emergency Alert today which was set up by the Government to test a new system but were surprised to hear the alert sound earlier than expected.
Members of the public were told to expect the alarm at 3pm but many turned to Twitter to share how the alert being one minute early, at 2.59pm, scared them, despite them expecting the alert.
Others claim to have not received the alert at all.
A loud alarm was scheduled to emit and vibrate at 3pm as a new public alert system was trialled.
🚨 At 3pm on Sunday 23 April, there will be a national test of the UK Emergency Alerts service. As we have seen in other countries, Emergency Alerts help keep you safe if there is an immediate risk to life by sending an alert direct to your mobile phone.https://t.co/M1mHgvCAB6 pic.twitter.com/nKnk4Y2KBS
— Cabinet Office (@cabinetofficeuk) April 6, 2023
The message was set up to be received on 4G and 5G mobile phones and the sound and vibration were to last for up to 10 seconds, even if mobile phones were on silent.
Twitter users surprised to hear Emergency Alert one minute early
One Twitter user wrote: “WHY WAS IT A MINUTE EARLY #emergencyalert”
Another tweeted: “Emergency alert jumpscare”
Emergency alert jumpscare
— 𝕷𝖔𝖕𝖕𝖎 (@loppiart) April 23, 2023
A third said: “Just had my #emergencyalert a minute early...”
Some mobile phone users claim to have not received the Emergency Alert at all.
One Twitter user said: “did anyone else just get no sound whatsoever just me? #emergencyalert”
Another said: “#emergencyalert what alert?”
A third said: “Didn't turn my alerts off. Zero emergency alert. I guess the government has decided I'm not worth saving in an emergency situation and honestly, I respect their honesty.”
