What is the emergency alert system and when will it be used?
Some people will be receiving an emergency alert system test tomorrow (Picture: Getty)  Tomorrow, the UK government will trial an emergency alert system (ESA) that will send a loud alert to select mobile numbers. Many places across the world already have such a system in place, but the UK has never had one. The system has been inspired by the outbreak of Covid-19, as previously the government had to rely on mobile phone operators to send out emergency alerts to customers in certain parts of the country. An ESA is a public warning system that allows the government to address people quickly during a national emergency. It has been used in many places across the world, including the US, New Zealand, and Japan to alert people to such emergencies as terror attacks, earthquakes, and floodings. Many places across the world use an emergency alert system (Picture: Getty)  They are powered by cell broadcasting technology, targeting mobile numbers of people who live in the area where the emergency is happening. This technology allows the government to send an alert to any device within 10 seconds, sharing information to people in specific locations that will help guide them during an emergency. No personal details, such as phone numbers, are shared, and using an ESA puts less stress on phone networks in moments of crisis, ensuring that the right people receive these important warnings. Emergency system alarms use cell broadcasting technology to send out information (Picture: Getty)  The decision to introduce an ESA into the UK is a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. During the first months of the crisis, the government had to enlist the support of the four major mobile networks (EE, Three, O2, and Vodafone) to send text messages out asking people to stay at home as the first lockdown plans were rolled out. The new system will make national and targeted local announcements easier to send and will take away the onus from individual phone networks. The Emergency Alerts service will be a vital tool in helping us to better respond to emergencies, both nationally and locally, said Penny Mourdant, the Paymaster General. The concept was used to good effect during the pandemic when we asked people, via text message, to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives. The alert will pop up on random phones tomorrow, June 29, in Reading in Berkshire. As well as the siren, a brief message will also flash up on your phone screen. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video  The alert will read: This is a mobile network operator test of the Emergency Alerts service. You do not need to take any action. To find out more, search for gov.uk/alerts.  You do not need to reply to the message if you receive it. The government plans to roll out the Emergency Alert System at some point during the summer of 2021. It will then be used to share any alerts concerning national and localised emergencies as they occur, such as any changes in local lockdown rules. MORE : Mobile phones could be banned in schools under new plans  MORE : Europe roaming charges: what each phone network will cost you abroad  Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram  Share your views in the comments below