On Monday, the Federal Government tested its AusAlert emergency notification system nationwide.
Around 20% of TDA Instagram Story poll respondents told us they did not receive the test alert.
Emergency Services Minister McBain said 94% of cell towers successfully broadcast the alert, telling Australians not to worry if their device was not notified.
So, why did some devices stay silent?
Background
On Monday at 2pm AEST, 1.30pm ACST, and 12pm AWST, the AusAlert emergency notification was sent to every mobile device in Australia.
The system is designed to send alerts to all devices in targeted locations during emergency events.
McBain held a press conference after the test, saying 94% of targeted cell towers successfully broadcast the alert.
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This does not mean it was received by 94% of devices.
Around 20% of TDA poll respondents told us their devices were not notified.
Reasons
The AusAlert website provides reasons why some devices were not alerted, including: it was turned off; it was in aeroplane mode; the device is incompatible with AusAlert; or there was no mobile signal, which could be if a nearby tower is damaged or being repaired.
Feedback
The Government has set up a portal on the AusAlert website for Australians to provide feedback about the test: ausalert.gov.au/feedback.
It asks people to provide information about their device type, operating system, settings, telco, and mobile coverage at the time of the alert.
National Emergency Management Agency coordinator general Patrick Hetherington said authorities will review this feedback and information from telcos, and “do a deep dive” to modify the system before the official October launch.
