Canadian cellphone, tablet and other individual mobile device users, including many of those on UHN-issued units, are helping test a new, national public alert system this week.
In Ontario, the test happened on Monday afternoon around 2 p.m. – and the results were mixed.
Some users heard a tone, similar to an ambulance alarm, or felt a vibration of eight seconds if their device was on vibrate. If they were talking on their phone at the time, they heard a call waiting tone.
But the test of the system, which would be used in the future to warn of imminent safety threats such as floods, tornadoes, an Amber Alert or a terrorist threat, did not work at all for a number of other users.
"We understand that some wireless users did not receive the test alert," Alert Ready, the organization coordinating the test, said in a statement. "All Alert Ready partners are working together to identify the cause.
"We thank everyone for their patience as we investigate and work through the test results."
Alert Ready has
a website which answers such key questions as compatibility and what to do if you receive an alert.
