LU-Alert's test of warning system has frightened Luxembourgers

This morning the government conducted another test of the updated LU-Alert alert system. This is a complex programme that we have written about many times in our morning digests. One of the components of the system is called Cell Broadcast, or literally broadcasting to mobile phones.

Cell Broadcast is a form of intrusive alert that appears on the screen of a mobile phone even when it is locked and in silent mode. These are justified because they are used to warn of natural disasters or other threats to life and health.

However, it turned out that some of the country's residents were not ready for the tests. Many comments about the volume and suddenness of the new signal have already appeared on the web. Fortunately, such intrusive messages will only be used in emergency situations.

But there is a second group of people who have not received any messages from the government at all. The developers of LU-Alert claim that this is possible if the user's phone has outdated firmware.