Australia is rolling out a new cell broadcast-based emergency alert system, AusAlert, with its first nationwide test scheduled for 2pm on 27 July. According to telecommunications design expert Abdullah Khan, the alert will be delivered to every active mobile device, whether it has a local SIM, an overseas roaming SIM, or even no SIM card at all.
Australia is changing the way it warns people during natural disasters. A new emergency warning system, AusAlert, which uses cell broadcast technology, will be tested nationwide for the first time at 2:00 pm on 27 July.
During the test, every compatible and active mobile phone will receive the alert in three stages: first, the phone will vibrate; then a 10-second siren-like warning tone will sound; and finally, a test message will appear on the screen, even if the phone is locked.
According to a telecommunications expert, the system's biggest advantage is that, unlike the current SMS-based alert system, it does not rely on phone numbers. Instead, it can simultaneously reach every active device within the coverage area of a mobile tower. The existing SMS emergency alert system will be phased out by July 2027.
