What is an Emergency Alert?
Emergency Alerts is a new service coming from the UK government to warn in the event of risk or danger to the public with advice to keep you safe. You may get alerts about severe weather events, national security or public health.
Read more on the government website.
What will an emergency alert look like?
The alert will appear on your device home screen for 20 seconds. It will vibrate and make a loud siren-like sound for up to 10 seconds, even if it’s set on silent.
Only the UK government or emergency services can send an alert, which is delivered via GPS to your location or regional zone. It will appear to all customers on U.K. networks, including UW.
Sometimes an alert will include a phone number or a link to the GOV.UK website for more information.
How does it work?
Using the 4G and 5G network, emergency alerts are transmitted from cell towers close to the emergency area. You won’t receive an Emergency Alert if you have a 3G or 2G device.
The alerts are secure, free to receive, and one-way. They don’t reveal your location and don’t collect any personal data.
Can I opt out?
You can opt out of receiving all emergency alerts. For more information about opting out, or emergency alerts in general,
please visit the government website.