The Department of Telecommunication recently sent out a practice message to all mobile phones as a test. On Thursday around 1:30 pm, several smartphones received a message that said “Emergency Alert: Severe”. However, don’t worry, it was just a test sent by the Department of Telecommunication to make sure their emergency alert system is working correctly.
The Department of Telecommunication explained, “These tests will happen every so often in different parts of the country to see how well the emergency alert systems of different mobile providers and cell broadcast systems work. This is to make sure they’re efficient and effective.” They mentioned this in a statement dated July 20.
What the alert message said?
“This is a SAMPLE TESTING MESSAGE sent through Cell Broadcasting System by Department of Telecommunication, Government of India. Please ignore this message as no action is required from your end. This message has been sent to TEST Pan-India Emergency Alert System being implemented by National Disaster Management Authority. It aims to enhance public safety and provide timely alerts during emergencies,”.
“यह भारत सरकार के दूरसंचार विभाग द्वारा सेल ब्रॉडकास्टिंग सिस्टम के माध्यम से भेजा गया एक नमूना परीक्षण संदेश है। कृपया इस संदेश पर ध्यान न दें क्योंकि इस पर आपकी ओर से किसी कार्रवाई की आवश्यकता नहीं है। यह संदेश राष्ट्रीय आपदा प्रबंधन प्राधिकरण द्वारा कार्यान्वित किए जा रहे अखिल भारतीय आपात अलर्ट सिस्टम को जांचने हेतु भेजा गया है। इस सिस्टम का उद्देश्य सार्वजनिक सुरक्षा बढ़ाना और आपात स्थिति के दौरान समय पर अलर्ट प्रदान करना है। टाइमस्टैम्प: 10-10-2023 12:05PM 22”
What is it for?
The Department of Telecommunication (DoT) has a cool technology called the “cell broadcast alert system.” This fancy system lets the government send important messages about disasters to all mobile phones in a specific area. It doesn’t matter if you live there or you’re just visiting – everyone gets the message.
This system is like a superhero for emergency info. It makes sure that when there’s a disaster or something scary happening, as many people as possible get the info they need really quickly. The government, along with emergency services, uses it to tell the public about potential dangers and keep everyone in the loop.
This cell broadcast thing is often used to send out emergency alerts, like warnings about bad weather (like tsunamis, floods, or earthquakes). It’s like your phone turning into a superhero hotline for important safety info!