Mobile phone users in some areas of the UK will soon be receiving text messages when emergency situations develop in their locale, as part of a new government trial.
The Cabinet Office says it is working with the UK big three mobile networks, EE, O2 and Vodafone to test a US-style alert system, which will warn of severe weather, industrial incidents and other emergencies.
The scheme will be tested in on up to 50,000 mobile users in parts of Yorkshire, Suffolk and Glasgow via text and CB messages delivered directly to the handset. Alerts will be marked as 'test' during the trial.
Countries like the US, The Netherlands and Australia already have measures in place to notify users to be on the look out for cars suspected in kidnappings, escaped felons, wanted fugitives,
Other nations, such as Japan and Chile, which are more susceptible to natural disasters, are also in the process of implementing their own mechanisms.
Potential lifesaver?
The idea is that hopefully, the early alert system will keep mobile users vigilant and could even safe lives during emergency situations.
If you're interested, you can check out a list of those potential scenarios in the rather ominous sounding National Risk Register of Civil Emergencies 2013 government report.
Source : techradar[dot]com
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