UK Emergency Alerts service

Between 3pm and 4pm on Sunday, 23 April 2023 the UK Government will test a new emergency text alert system.

Mobile phone customers on mobile phone networks based in Ireland will not receive the message. However, mobile phone customers near border areas in Ireland who roam onto a UK mobile phone network during this time will receive the alert/message.

Recipients will hear a loud, siren-like sound and the phone will use a distinct vibration. A message will appear on the home screen of the phone until it is acknowledged.

The UK Emergency Alerts System, which is operational across Britain and Northern Ireland, was launched on Sunday, 19 March. The system enables the UK Government to send an 'alert' message to all mobile phones and devices (such as certain tablets) if there is an emergency (for example, an extreme weather event) where lives are endangered.

An Emergency Alert looks and sounds very different to other types of messages such as SMS 'text messages'. The notification will take the form of the screenshot below, however the content of the message will differ. The alert will include a link to the GOV.UK website for more information.

Any texts sent by the UK Emergency Alerts system in Northern Ireland may be received by some people in border counties in Ireland, even if some of those recipients normally subscribe to a mobile phone service in Ireland.

Details of UK Emergency Alerts can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/alerts.

The Irish Government is developing a Public Warning System (PWS), which will be operational in late 2024, subject to procurement and government approval.