Questions are being asked about the government’s new emergency alert test after it sparked confusion in parts of Britain today – with Three customers reporting they did not receive any alert while others received it too early.
A review will be conducted to find out why a ‘very small proportion of mobile users’ did not receive the test of a new national emergency alert system on Sunday afternoon.
The Cabinet Office said the ‘vast majority of compatible phones’ received the alert as part of what was said to be the biggest public communications exercise carried out in the UK.
But the government department said it was aware that the 10- second alarm and message notification was not delivered to some mobile phones.
Tens of millions of phones across the UK emitted the 10-second siren, which sounded at shortly before 3pm, accompanied by a message which popped up on phones explaining that it was a test and people did not need to take any action.
Read more: Why didn’t Three customers get emergency alert? Cabinet Office will probe why ‘small proportion’ of mobile users did not hear alarm – following mass confusion with news bulletin interrupted, worshippers taken by surprise and some devices sounding early
