How Frequent ‘severe’ wireless emergency alerts puzzle phone users in India

They just won’t stop coming. After multiple instances in the past about purported “testing” of wireless emergency alerts from a “Pan-India Emergency Alert System,” phone users across multiple regions in India have reported seeing a new alert once again. The alert was sent out at 12:19 PM IST and was accompanied by a beeping sound. The intent behind these notifications, as sent out by the Department of Telecommunications (DOT), is to notify citizens of natural disasters such as monsoon-induced floods. Considering how handy people keep their smartphones, the alerts can serve as an excellent way to notify people about potential disasters. However, the frequency with which the DOT has been deploying test alerts has left people perplexed. Following the latest alert, X (formerly Twitter) was flooded by posts from users seeking an explanation for the alert. Since these alerts start with an ominous “Emergency Alert: Severe,” they can be unnerving, especially for people who’ve received it for the first time. Government entities employ wireless emergency alert technology, a feature enabled by default on both Android and iOS devices, to deliver instant critical to citizens. The main function of this service is to serve as a lifeline during crises, ensuring that people remain informed and safe. Some people have reportedly received multiple of these alerts over the past few months, raising concerns about the diminishing impact of these alerts when a genuine emergency arises. If you are one of the users who’d rather not see these alerts now and then, then there is actually a way to disable them, which we’ve described in a previous article. Nevertheless, it is advisable to keep these alerts active to guarantee essential updates from relevant authorities in the event of real disasters. Wireless emergency alerts are broadcasted by government bodies to keep citizens informed during critical situations. Many phones are receiving random wireless emergency alerts notifying users about the testing of a new “Pan-India Emergency Alert System.” “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,” the flash message reads. If you recently received a pop-up notification on your smartphone too, and are wondering what it’s about, here’s an explanation. The message broadcasted by DOT is intended to alert citizens about natural calamities such as waterlogging during monsoon. The messages that were seen lately could also be the department testing the alert system to ensure its reachability by sending demo alerts, or this could be an actual alert about an extreme threat.  In case of a demo, the notification indicates it as demo. One can easily disable wireless emergency alert notification settings to stop receiving these updates. However, given this is a critical service, we recommend users keep this feature enabled to receive key updates from the relevant authorities.