Got a 4G LTE cellphone? Live in (or visiting) Canada?

[robkelk]

Starting April 6 - tomorrow! - all 4G LTE cellphones in Canada will automatically get AlertReady warning messages. So don't be surprised if your phone starts making that annoying alert noise that the radio alerts always start with.

For the geeky types amongst us: All cellphone companies in Canada are now required to deliver federal, provincial, and local emergency messages via cell broadcast to all WPA-compatible LTE devices. Messages will be targeted geographically (each tower will only broadcast alerts pertaining to the area that the tower is in) and cannot be suppressed except by turning off the phone altogether. (Yes, this means you might get an alert at 3AM - but it's a frikkin' emergency, folks!)

Alert types: Fire, Tornado, Flash Flood, Earthquake, Hurricane, Tsunami, Thunderstorm, Storm Surge, Landslide, Dam Overflow, Magnetic Storm (although I can't imagine how this type of alert would get through - if a magnetic storm's powerful enough for an alert, it'll have already fried phones' electronics), Meteorite, Lahar, Pyroclastic Flow, Pyroclastic Surge, Volcanic Ash, Biological hazard, Chemical hazard, Radiological hazard, Drinking Water Contamination, Explosives, Air Quality, Falling Object, Terrorist Threat, Civil Emergency, Animal Danger, Amber Alert (abducted child), 911 Service Disruption, Test.

[hazard]

They're probably betting for the magnetic storm warning on two things; the first is that they can spot it ahead of time, and the second is that it's better to have it even if it'll never be used. And they're not wrong.

Here in the Netherlands there's talk of something similar, and I think there's an opt-in system for receiving message traffic related to emergency situations, but for now at least we're still dependent on the old sirens that are tested every first monday of the month. Which they are planning to scrap because everyone has a cellphone these days.

[Dartz]

A good chunk of those, if you're receiving them can be summed up in one single phrase.

"We hope you've enjoyed your stay in Canada and sincerely hope your imminent sudden departure will not be too stressful. "

[hazard]

That is a decidedly Canadian way to tell you you are about to die horribly, going by their reputation.

[robkelk]

decidedly Canadian

Why, yes, it will be bilingual.

[robkelk]

(blows dust off thread)

The system will be tested next week. It's going to be ... "fun" ... hearing every phone in the office go off at the same time.

[robkelk]

And... the test failed in Quebec.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/p...-1.4651551

[robkelk]

(blows dust off thread again)

Radiological hazard alert this morning - an "incident" at the Pickering nuclear power plant. No details, and apparently no abnormal release of radioactivity from the station, but everyone within 10km of the plant is now on alert. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/p...-1.5424115

EDIT: False alarm.