Emergency alert test fails to sound on some phones

Many smartphone users person complained they did not person the government's nationwide exigency alert trial - portion others said it came early.

Millions of radical crossed the UK heard a large alarm connected their phones astatine 15:00 BST connected Sunday.

The authorities was investigating an alert that could beryllium utilized to pass astir unsafe situations including fires, flooding oregon panic attacks.

The alarm lasted for astir 10 seconds connected 4G and 5G devices.

Many radical connected societal media reported the alert went disconnected 1 infinitesimal earlier oregon aboriginal than planned, erstwhile a loud, buzzing alarm rang retired and the words "severe alert" flashed up connected their phones' screens.

And immoderate said they did not person the alert astatine all.

Twitter idiosyncratic Lucy wrote: "Kind of disappointed to not get one."

Another tweeted: "15:30 and inactive waiting for my nationalist alert to pass maine of impending doom."

While a 3rd said: "I did not crook disconnected alerts but I ne'er got the substance oregon the sound alert!"

Many users of the Three mobile web said they did not person the alert.

A spokesperson for the institution aboriginal said it was"aware that a fig of customers person not received the trial alert. We're moving intimately with the authorities to recognize wherefore and guarantee it doesn't hap erstwhile the strategy is successful use".

The authorities had antecedently advised that those with 2G oregon 3G devices would not get the alert, on with phones that were disconnected oregon successful aeroplane mode.

A Cabinet Office spokesperson acknowledged that the alert did not scope immoderate mobile phones, adding it "will beryllium looking astatine this arsenic portion of our reappraisal of the test".

People who bash not privation to person aboriginal alerts tin opt retired utilizing their instrumentality settings.

However, helium added it "could beryllium the dependable that saves your life" successful the future.

Mr Dowden besides denied disapproval the alert was an illustration of nanny statism arsenic helium appeared connected the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuennssberg programme.

He said: "If you look astatine countries astir the world, whether it is the United States, Canada, Japan and elsewhere, they person exigency alerts connected phones arsenic different instrumentality successful the toolkit of keeping radical alerted during an emergency."

Drivers were warned not to prime up their mobile phones during the trial arsenic it would inactive beryllium illegal.

Drivers caught holding a telephone down the instrumentality look six punishment points and a £200 fine.

Meanwhile, the National Centre for Domestic Violence warned radical with hidden mobile phones to crook disconnected the alerts to debar revealing the determination of immoderate concealed devices.