Canada's public emergency alert system tests failed on west coast
The new National Public Alerting System, publicly branded as Alert Ready, was set to perform a test emergency alert to mobile devices across Canada but it seems like many missed the alert.
The Alert Ready system was developed in partnership with federal, provincial, and territorial emergency management officials, Environment and Climate Change Canada, The Weather Network, the broadcasting industry, and wireless service providers, to rapidly warn the public of imminent or unfolding hazards to life.
Examples of the types of alerts that are issued through the Alert Ready system include natural disasters like tornados and earthquakes or a civil emergency like Amber Alerts.
According to Alert Ready, wireless providers were going to send a test alert to every mobile device connected to an LTE network, as well as TV and radio stations. The alert would have sounded similar to a siren and was meant for nine provinces and one territory.
While the alert did send to a few, there are many who didn’t receive any notification.
Did not work for me. I’m using Rogers on an iPhone 6 Plus in Vancouver. #emergencyalert
— Nicole Scarlett (@LeahNicole1313) May 9, 2018
No #emergencyalert was received on my ~Virgin~ enabled Cell but my friend got one on her @Fidomobile cell. So I guess she survives and I don’t?! 💀🤷🏼♀️
— Pippa Reed (@pippa_reed) May 9, 2018
@TELUSsupport I did not receive #emergencyalert on my phone today.
— Kyle Knudson (@Maximumkyle01) May 9, 2018
I guess @TELUS / @koodo doesn’t want me to be alerted if / when the @EmergencyInfoBC sends out an #AlertReady 😔
Any other #Telus or #Koodo users not get an alert from the test just now?#Vancouver
— Eliot Hong (@eliothong) May 9, 2018
For those who did receive the alert in Vancouver, it looked similar to this.
Emergency Alert/Daily Hive
At this current time, there have been no notifications from the CRTC or any major mobile companies regarding the missed alerts.