Emergency Alert': This is why the flash message is playing loudly on many Android, iOS phones.

 'Emergency Alert': This is why the flash message is playing loudly on many Android, iOS phones.

  The new emergency alert system is designed to provide real-time disaster alerts to citizens.

  Since August, the government has been sending alerts in phases to test the new feature.

  Recently, the government has sent a test alert for many Android, iOS phones across the country

  The flash message was sent twice, once in English and once in Hindi, a few minutes apart.

  Are you getting random messages and pop-ups titled 'Emergency Alert: Extreme' and also, your phone starts ringing loudly?  This could be a new 'cell broadcast alert system'.  A new tool is being tested by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in partnership with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to inform Indian citizens about alarming situations.

  The new emergency alert system is designed to provide real-time disaster alerts to citizens.  Called the 'Cell Broadcast Alert System', the aim of the system is to enhance public safety and provide timely warning during emergencies. 

How does the 'Cell Broadcast Alert System' work?

 Since August, the government has been sending phased alerts to test the new facility in all geographies.  Recently, the government sent a test alert to many phones across the country.  A message was flashed on both Android and iOS mobile phones and a very loud emergency tone was also played.  A few minutes apart the message was sent twice in English and once in Hindi.

 The official behind the new alert system

 NDMA is overseeing the deployment of this new system.  The test alert was part of an effort to evaluate the effectiveness of the alert system and identify any potential problems

 The message was sent via the Cell Broadcasting System (CBS), a technology that allows mobile operators to send text messages to all phones in a certain area, regardless of which mobile network the phone is on.  This makes it an ideal technology for sending emergency alerts.

The official behind the new alert system

The Department of Telecommunications Cell Broadcasting System (DOT CBS) has announced that they are planning to conduct similar trials periodically in different areas.

NDMA conducts these tests to ensure that the alert system is working properly and can be used to reach people in real emergencies.  The tests also help the NDMA identify areas where improvements are needed in the system.

 Citizens are advised not to panic when they receive these warnings, as these are only tests.  The flash message clearly states that it is a test and requires no action from the recipient.  The buzzing sound can also be turned off by pressing 'OK' below the flash message.