A senior official has suggested that the UK government's emergency alert system should undergo testing every two years. This recommendation comes after a test alert, which was sent to an
estimated 60 million mobile phones in the country, encountered technical issues and failed to reach five million users on the Three network. Roger Hargreaves, director of Cobra, the government's emergencies committee, confirmed that the technical problems have been resolved, making the system ready for use.
Hargreaves believes that regular testing, in line with international standards, is necessary to ensure the smooth functioning of the technology. However, no ministerial decision has been made regarding the frequency of future tests.
Other countries frequently test their emergency alert systems, as well as their sirens and broadcast systems, with some conducting monthly tests. Cabinet Office Minister Oliver Dowden previously stated that the recent test was a "one-off," but additional public tests are likely in the future. Despite the success of the initial test, there was a slight drop-off in coverage due to issues with the Three network, which affected around 10% of their users in England.
The Cabinet Office estimates that the alert reached approximately 93% of compatible devices in the UK. Photo by Miguel Discart, Wikimedia commons.