More emergency alert confusion as government backtracks on second alarm

A page on the gov.uk website until this afternoon appeared to suggest some mobile phones would receive another alert on Tuesday

(PA )

Mobile phone users were thrown into confusion again after a government website announced a second emergency alert, just days after the nationwide alarm did not go entirely to plan.

A page on the gov.uk website until this afternoon appeared to suggest some mobile phones would receive another alert on Tuesday – following Sunday’s widely publicised message.

But the Cabinet Office has now said that the page was uploaded to the government website in error.

It has since been removed from the internet and replaced with a page which says there are no tests planned.

The page, titled Tuesday 25 April 2023, said: There will be a service test of the UK Emergency Alerts system today."

It linked to information stating that users would "only get service test alerts if you have an older Android phone or tablet with operator test alerts turned on".

The alert would "make a loud siren-like sound for about 10 seconds".

This prompted media reports that some users would get a second alert, following a test which took place over the weekend.

But the Cabinet Office has now confirmed that the page had been uploaded to the government website in error.

In a statement posted online the Cabinet Office said: “There are media reports claiming the Government is testing the Emergency Alerts system again today. This is completely untrue. There are no plans to test system again.”

Tens of millions of mobile phones across the UK received the first alert test on Sunday, with a loud tone and message appearing on their screen. The system is intended to alert people to danger near them.

Following Sunday’s nationwide test, the Cabinet Office said the “vast majority of compatible phones” received the alert – which they said was the largest public communications exercise in history.

Customers on the Three mobile phone network were among those who did not get the message. The network has said it will be working with the government resolve the problem for future alerts.