Alert Ready Test on May 8, 2019

[Julia_T]

Update: There will be no test alerts in Ontario & Quebec due to the ongoing flooding situation in these provinces.

Hey Community,

On May 8, 2019, provincial and territorial governments will be conducting another test of the Alert Ready system. Alert Ready is designed to deliver critical and potentially life-saving alerts to Canadians. Test alerts educate Canadians on what an emergency alert will look and sound like in the event of a life-threatening situation.

The test alert will be distributed on TV, Radio and wireless. However, not all Canadians will receive the test alert on their mobile device. This may occur for a variety of reasons; device compatibility, connection to an LTE network, cell tower coverage and device software and settings.

To learn more about the Alert Ready service, what devices are supported, and the test schedule for your province or territory, visit alertready.ca.

- Public Mobile Community Team

[stonechucker]

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@Klane wrote:

Yea we definitely didn't need the test  in Ontario, they have had 2 in 2 days.   Again at 5am I am woken by an alert not related at all to my area... 10 hours away.  The person never left sunbury and yet they broadcast in province wide.... Ridiculous abuse of the system that is going to make people work around it... has anyone tried blocking the number yet ?

They need to change the system to only send to devices connected to towers in a defined area.... I am tired of be woken by by unnecessary alerts and worse the annoyance is going to make people find ways to avoid the nuisance and miss the aĺert of a real emergency.

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The child and mother did leave Sudbury and were in Toronto when they were found.

Get the story right, before you complain about it incorrectly.  Force your device to 3G connection, and live without the LTE so this doesn't 'wake you up' anymore.

By the way, I get up at 5, it was just a different alarm for me today.

[nexhmije]

I 

My date is not active for three day even though I paid. It is cousing me a big problem regarsing my work. This is such a ceazy way to get help with issues like this. I need my date fixed asp

[TheOldVR]

I got the alert this morning @ 5am... yay.

I won't complain about getting it, or the need for the Amber alert system... but that tone is aweful.

Freaks people out, freaks out seniors even worse. They don't need such an aweful noise for an Amber alert as the truth is that an Amber alert is not about a Nuclear bomb falling on us, it's about a potential dangerous situation for a child (which is critacally important.... but does not imact everyone in the same way).

So - just change the alert tone man....

[Klane]

Yea we definitely didn't need the test  in Ontario, they have had 2 in 2 days.   Again at 5am I am woken by an alert not related at all to my area... 10 hours away.  The person never left sunbury and yet they broadcast in province wide.... Ridiculous abuse of the system that is going to make people work around it... has anyone tried blocking the number yet ?

They need to change the system to only send to devices connected to towers in a defined area.... I am tired of be woken by by unnecessary alerts and worse the annoyance is going to make people find ways to avoid the nuisance and miss the aĺert of a real emergency.

[AE_Collector]

I was going to add that my Moto X Play got it but it looks as though you have solved it now.    Terry

[ScottJohnson]

Thanks for the link. My Moto X Play is on the list of compatible phones but I didn't get the alert.

What I found surprising was my S4, former Koodo phone without a sim card, got the alert and it's supposedly not compatible.

Now I see the possible problem, my phone was on G3. I don't remember switching from LTE but I guess that doesn't matter. It's back on LTE.

[Julia_T]

Thanks for calling this out Scott! You can see a list of compatible phones on our sister brand's website:

https://www.telus.com/en/on/support/article/alert-ready-wireless-public-alerting-wpa#compatible_lte_...

[ScottJohnson]

I went to alertready.ca to see if my phone is compatible. I click the link, then the link for my carriers which takes me to PM alertready page. PM tells me to go back to alertready to check phone compatibility. #chicken or #egg

[Klane]

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@stonechucker wrote:

I remember a line from the TV Show 'The Big Bang Theory' in reference to a previous quote from the character 'Spock' of StarTrek series and movies.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

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Tv is fiction, spock is not real or a citizen  of earth, we as people have the right not to be bothered by information that does not pertain to us... the ont govt is spamming our phones, please see my previous comments on how to have a better system.

[Klane]

Way too late for kids with school in the morning !

[Klane]

@pckku 

I actually support the system, I just believe it needs improvement.  allow opt out as I believe it's a right to now be disturbed.  

My biggest suggestion is in cases like that last amber alert, put it on highway signs & radio as it will reach people in thier cars... then only send the message to phones hitting towers in that region.  

I am over 4 hours east and the woman was heading west so no need to notify eastern Ontario at all.  Plus I am at home so they aren't showing up here or my local stores.  Again highway boards and radio + targeted towers is the solution to a good EBS

[stonechucker]

I remember a line from the TV Show 'The Big Bang Theory' in reference to a previous quote from the character 'Spock' of StarTrek series and movies.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

[pckku]

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@stonechucker wrote:

@pckku, have you forced a 3G only connection on your phone, or are you still allowing it to connect to LTE?

If you are forcing the 3G connection, you are expected to not get the alerts.  If your throttled 3G speed LTE plan is using the LTE, you *should* be getting if the P20 is compatible.

EDIT : made reference to the P30, rather than P20.

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I checked and did turn off the LTE. Have turned it back on and will wait for May 8 to confirm if this work...

[pckku]

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@Klane wrote:

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@stonechucker wrote:

@zork1984, the notifications seem to be Provincewide, rather than smaller regions.  Possibly Ontario *could*  be broken up smaller, but why bother?  It's an emergency alert - we're all getting it (if issue do not prevent the notification).

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I literally just said why bother.... I dont want to be bothered by alerts in another region or woken up. I AM all for putting amber alerts on the highway signs or the police know where they may be headed target those areas... they dont need to broadcast it to people that are in thier house... I wont be able to help from my bed.... and I dont want them waking my family or upsetting my kids for no good reason.

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There are plenty of good reasons to design an emergency alert system in Canada, and I AM IN TOTAL SUPPORT of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).  However, the EAS is different from situations such as rules that affect public safety such as Traffic laws, seat-belts, mandatory airport security screenings etc. where they are designed to safeguard the life of others.  So I do see the rationale for some that they do not want to be bothered by such EAS, and considered it as "Optional".  Their choices NOT to participate in finding a missing child, getting alerts on natural disasters, evacuations, etc.  So, perhaps there should be a system in place for people to opt out of this EAS. We are living in a democratic society and people should have a choice. However, even a person never giving blood to the blood bank, will always get the blood he/she needs during operation.  Every time when someone (whether or not they support the EAS system) own loved ones are missing, there will be people like yourself helping out by receiving the emergency alert messages!  

[stonechucker]

@pckku, have you forced a 3G only connection on your phone, or are you still allowing it to connect to LTE?

If you are forcing the 3G connection, you are expected to not get the alerts.  If your throttled 3G speed LTE plan is using the LTE, you *should* be getting if the P20 is compatible.

EDIT : made reference to the P30, rather than P20.

[pckku]

My wife subscribed to the LTE data plan and she gets the alert on her iPhone 6. I have the Hwawei P20 Pro, subscribing to the 3G service, and I am not getting the alerts. Does it mean all those on 3G networks will not be getting the alert?

I checked the Emergency Alert web site:

"In order for a wireless device to be capable of receiving an alert three broad conditions must be met.

The wireless device must be:

• A wireless public alerting (WPA) compatible device, like a smartphone, capable of connecting to an LTE network (LTE is commonly referred to as “4G LTE”); and
• Equipped with the latest version of its operating software; and
• Connected to an LTE cellular network at the time the emergency alert is issued or joins the network while the alert is still active.

Older cell phones that operate exclusively on non-LTE networks will not get an alert. "

[MoreYummy]

Let the fun begin!  Or not 

[Klane]

It's TRUE, I often set my phone to DND mode and the stupid alert go off like the apocalypse is here.

[stonechucker]

@Daphne1, according to the information on the website I’ve previous referenced, you can not silence the alerts.  They are designed to force sound on even when silenced by the user on the device.

[Daphne1]

@Klane  They really should have 2 types of alerts: Amber & Emergency.

That said, I heard you can turn off the sound on your phone. You'll only see the onscreen alert, but not hear it.

[stonechucker]

@Klane,  I'd rather be notified if there's something that I could possibly assist in.  The last notification in Ontario was an afternoon alert, from Toronto, and the alert was cancelled after they were found (safe) in London.  If I had been out-and-about while the car cruised through my area, I may have had information to provide.

If you really don't want this, change your Network connection to 3G service only or ancel your cell phone and your TV service, and do not turn on your radio.  That is the only way you're not going to get these notifications.

1st world problems can be dealt with easily - just stop paying for the service that provides you with unwanted stuff.

[Klane]

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@stonechucker wrote:

@zork1984, the notifications seem to be Provincewide, rather than smaller regions.  Possibly Ontario *could*  be broken up smaller, but why bother?  It's an emergency alert - we're all getting it (if issue do not prevent the notification).

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I literally just said why bother.... I dont want to be bothered by alerts in another region or woken up. I AM all for putting amber alerts on the highway signs or the police know where they may be headed target those areas... they dont need to broadcast it to people that are in thier house... I wont be able to help from my bed.... and I dont want them waking my family or upsetting my kids for no good reason.

[stonechucker]

@zork1984, the notifications seem to be Provincewide, rather than smaller regions.  Possibly Ontario *could*  be broken up smaller, but why bother?  It's an emergency alert - we're all getting it (if issue do not prevent the notification).

[stonechucker]

@Klane, well you're out of luck, unless you flip your phone to connect to 3G only.

The way the system is designed, if you're on LTE, and your phone working (ie powered on), you're going to get it whether you want it or not, or there's a problem reaching your device when triggered.

This is Canada Wide, and it is forced on you.  If you don't want it, connect to 3G, get rid of your TV, your radio, and your phone.

[zork1984]

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@Klane wrote:

Not when they wake you up at 2am.... again I dont care if a tornado hits Toronto.

I know it's for all types of alerts andI can read about it in the news if I want, I dont consent to having an air raid siren in my pocket that goes off when it's not effecting my region.

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I think it is already region specific.  I don't think the tornado warning in Ottawa last year was sent elsewhere.  Amber alert may have a larger area as the kidnapper may be on the road for several hours...

[Klane]

Not when they wake you up at 2am.... again I dont care if a tornado hits Toronto.

I know it's for all types of alerts andI can read about it in the news if I want, I dont consent to having an air raid siren in my pocket that goes off when it's not effecting my region.

[stonechucker]

@Klane, wow dude..a little harsh eh?  The last one happened in Toronto, and the child and mother were found just outside of London.

These alerts are for everyone to receive, and it's not just the Amber Alerts.  Weather warnings, terror attacks, etc... anything for someone, or everyone in the eyes of Public Safety.

[Klane]

They need to start send alerts only to the region effected, I dont need an emergency warning going off every time something happens in Toronto if I am in Ottawa.

[hamaida]

@Julia_TThank you for sharing us this info.

[TheOldVR]

Interesting, I only got two alerts.

Good news is that the boy and mother were found safe and are back home now.