People across Manitoba have reported on social media that a province-wide test of the national Alert Ready system didn’t reach them, even with compatible devices.
The test, scheduled for 1:55 p.m., did reach users on a number of different cellular networks, with some users reporting to have received it multiple times.
Did you get your alert?
— Mason (@MasonDrm) May 9, 2018
I got mine twice
How am I the only one to not get that doesn’t get the emergency alert out of everyone at work
— Red (@_teganbenjamin) May 9, 2018
Meanwhile, the province tweeted that it is considering the test a success, and why not all users received it is being investigated. It also said the test reached around 60 per cent of Manitoba cell users, and most Telus customers did not receive the alert.
Manitoba EMO successfully issued an emergency alert test message through the #AlertReady system. Some customers of particular wireless carriers may not have received the alert. Work is underway to identify the cause. More info: https://t.co/raZ7mXfdpn #MBAlert pic.twitter.com/ZXZrRj0Qwl
— Manitoba Government (@MBGov) May 9, 2018
It was the first time the Alert Ready system, designed to communicate with people in the event of an emergency, was being tested on wireless devices in Manitoba.
Not all wireless devices are compatible with the system, and each cellular carrier lists compatible devices online. You can look up your carrier on the Alert Ready website.
In addition, compatible devices must be connected to an LTE cellular network at the time the alert is issued. Some users who didn’t receive the alert said they were connected at the time.
The alert comes in the form of a tone similar to an ambulance siren or an eight second vibration, depending on the devise settings, and is used to warn people in events like tornadoes, floods, amber alerts or terrorist threats.
