How will it work on my Mobile Phone?

You may not have received the text message on your mobile telephone for a number of reasons including:

• your text message inbox was full
• the emergency services chose other ways to warn people who may be in the affected area at the time of the emergency
• your mobile telephone was switched off or was not in a mobile telephone coverage area
• the last known location of your handset was not within the warning area at the time of the emergency
• you have not updated your registered service address
• the telecommunications mobile infrastructure might be affected.

Yes.

Emergency Alert can send text messages based on both the registered service address of a mobile phone and the last known location of the handset at the time of the emergency. This includes visitors and people travelling in the area.

The location based service relies on each carrier to detect and locate every mobile phone with a last known location within the warning area set by the emergency services.

From November 2022, all carriers now send messages to customers who are on 5G stand alone network. Customers should have 5G stand alone capable handsets if not the network will be latched on to 5G non stand alone and fall back to 4G.

All carriers Telstra, Optus and TPG’s all include wholesale partners who resell the carriers’ 5G networks.

All 5G mobiles revert to the 4G networks when outside 5G stand alone/Non stand alone coverage.

There are two ways the Emergency Alert system works for mobile phones within a geographical area affected by an emergency:

• a text message is sent based on the registered service address of the mobile phone
• a text message is sent based on the last known location of the handset at the time of the emergency. This includes visitors and people travelling in the area.

Based on how mobile network coverage works, you may receive a text message if you are outside the area of risk but you are nearby that area. It is important that you read the message carefully and understand what action you may need to take.

Warning messages can be sent significantly faster as SMS (text) message and there is less chance of encountering network congestion.

The warning message can also be received on the handset if the user is on a telephone call.

The accuracy of the location of an active mobile telephone is the predicted coverage area of a mobile tower or better.

Telstra, Optus and TPG update the last known location of your mobile phone in many different ways when it interacts with the network, such as by making or receiving a call or text message.

The networks automatically update the location of all mobiles when they connect with the network to make a call or a text. Smartphones are connecting with the networks all the time in the background, so the network can detect your location almost instantly. .

Telstra, Optus and TPG’s 4G/5G location detection systems are now fully compatible with location-based Emergency Alert.

4G mobile phones used outside 4G network coverage areas revert to the 2G/3G networks, where they can still be detected by Optus, TPG and Telstra and sent a warning message using location-based Emergency Alert.

5G mobile phones used outside 5G network coverage areas revert to the 4G networks, where they can still be detected by Optus, TPG and Telstra and sent a warning message using location-based Emergency Alert.

All 4G mobile phones on the 4G networks will continue to receive messages based on their registered service address when this is within the warning area.

All 5G mobile phones on the 5G stand alone networks will continue to receive messages based on their registered service address when this is within the warning area.If the mobile phones are on 5G non stand alone will fall back to 4G.

Mobile phones switched off or outside a network coverage area will not have their location updated and, therefore, the carriers cannot detect them and they will not receive a warning message from Emergency Alert.

Mobile phone subscribers can find out who their carrier is by contacting their service provider.

The mobile network records the last known location of each mobile telephone handset.

To find out more about location-based Emergency Alert on the 4G network see ‘Will the messages be received by mobile phones on the 4G network?’

The Emergency Alert system does not retain location data about individual mobile telephone numbers

You will not receive the text message. You will only receive a text message if a new warning message is issued and your handset is active in the warning area.

Emergency services can send warning messages to mobile telephones based on the location of handsets as well as registered service addresses within a geographical area affected by an emergency.

You may receive two warning messages to your mobile telephone if your mobile telephone has a registered service address within the warning area and your mobile telephone was active within the warning area at the time of the emergency.

Emergency services can send warning messages to mobile telephones based on the location of handsets and registered service addresses within a geographical area affected by an emergency.

Based on how mobile phone coverage works, it is possible that you may receive a text message if you are outside the area of risk, but you are nearby.

If you are away from home but your mobile phone is registered to an address in the warning area you may be sent text message.

If you receive a warning message, it is important that you read the message carefully and understand whether you are required to take action.

There are things you can do with your mobile telephone so if there is an emergency in your local community you will be well prepared.

Being wise with how you use your mobile telephone can significantly help during an emergency by reducing the load on mobile networks, which will in turn assist in the operation of vital emergency communication services such as Triple Zero (000) (www.triplezero.gov.au (External link)) and the national telephone-based emergency warning system, Emergency Alert.

In an emergency you should use a range of information sources and check them continuously to stay aware of local conditions. These information sources may include radio, television and state or territory emergency services organisation websitesFor more information, read the fact sheet “Be mobile phone prepared” for a disaster (External link) for a disaster.

Optus mobile phones connected to an Optus 3G Home Zone cannot be detected by the Emergency Alert warning system.

All mobile phones will continue to be sent warning messages based on their registered service address.

Emergency Alert is just one way emergency services may use to warn people that may be in the affected area at the time of the emergency.

Emergency services can use Emergency Alert to send warning messages to a geographic area based on telephones’ registered service address. Therefore, it is important that the registered service address of your mobile telephone is up to date.

If you are working in a mobile telephone blackspot and use a landline telephone, ensure that is not reliant on electricity and will continue to work if the power supply is cut.

If you are working in a mobile telephone blackspot, it is important not to rely on receiving a warning message on your mobile telephone.

People should be adequately prepared in the event of an emergency, continue to use a range of information sources – such as radio and television - and stay aware of local conditions. You should not wait to receive a warning message

Yes. Emergency services can send warning messages to mobile telephones roaming on Australian mobile networks based on the location of handsets within a geographical area affected by an emergency.

Mobile telephones roaming on Australian mobile networks may incur charges from the service provider if a warning message is received.

Emergency services can use Emergency Alert to send warning messages to landlines as well as mobile telephones based on the location of the handset.

As the system sends warnings to both landlines and mobile phones, if you live or work in an area where there are mobile phone ‘blackspots’, it is recommended that you also have a landline telephone that is not reliant on electricity.

If you live or work in an area where you believe there is a mobile phone ‘blackspot’, you can also seek advice from your telecommunications provider on what options there are to improve your mobile phone coverage.

Whether you are living, working or travelling in a mobile telephone blackspot, it is important not to rely on receiving a warning message on your mobile telephone.

Emergency Alert is just one way emergency services may use to warn people that may be in the affected area at the time of the emergency.

In an emergency you should use a range of information sources and check them continuously to stay aware of local conditions. These information sources may include radio, television and state or territory emergency services organisation websites.

Yes. Emergency services can send warning messages to mobile telephones based on location of handsets and registered service addresses within a geographical area affected by an emergency.

For more information read the fact sheet Receiving telephone-based emergency warnings (External link).

No. There is no way to prevent your child from receiving a warning message if they have their own mobile telephone. This is because you cannot opt out of being sent warning messages sent through Emergency Alert.

It is important discuss emergency preparedness with your child, so they are able to act if they receive a warning message.

If your child receives a warning message on their mobile telephone while they are at school, they must follow the emergency procedures in place at their school.