Australia is preparing to test AusAlert – a new emergency warning system designed for faster and reliable alerts during the life threatening events such as bushfires, floods and cyclones. Australia is going to try this for the very first time and will be identifying the issues before launching it in real situations.
When is Australia is going to test AusAlert?
Australia is going to test its new emergency warning system – AusAlert on 27th July 2026 (Monday Afternoon) on the compatible devices. This is going to be a nationwide test targeting the compatible phones to identify the potential issues before it is used in real emergencies. Some agencies are expected to begin using AusAlert from October to warn people about life-threatening emergencies.
AusAlert Test Times Across Australia-
- Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria – 2:00 pm AEST
- South Australia, the Northern Territory and Broken Hill – 1:30 pm ACST
- Western Australia – 12 pm AWST
What will happen during the AusAlert Test?
During the test, devices will vibrate and a 10 second siren will be heard with a full display notification. The full display notification will clearly state “It’s a test and no action is required”.
Advice for People With Concealed Phones During the AusAlert Test
AusAlert is designed in such a way that it can override the silent mode and Do not Disturb on comaptible devices. While this is done to make sure that such warnings aren’t missed but it also raises important safety concerns for some.
Karen Bentley, Chief Executive of WESNET, has asked people to switch off their devices or put them on airplane mode one hour before the national test and keeping it off or in airplane mode for 24 hours because a phone that is switched off or in airplane mode will not receive the alert.
How does AusAlert Works ?
AusAlert system works by using cell broadcast technology to send location-based alerts directly to compatible mobile devices. It uses a traingulation or a modular square of towers to deliver the alerts. It does not rely on single mobile tower like the current SMS based system which makes it more efficient.
News Sources – SBS News
