simonsi

Yep J3 or later to be supported, its not a txt msg so zero chance for unsupported and older phones, not sure why they don't do both TBH and maximise coverage that way...

Justcol

Maybe they thought the Luddites with the old phones would probably know someone who lives in the 21st century who could be relied on to tell them what was going on.

Pollyana

Have to say I am baffled by the use of smartphones - and only selected smartphones at that.
We've been involved with Emergency Alert in my unit ever since it was first proposed, and the over-arching guideline has always been that we must reach the largest number of people possible - hence the fact we even do voice messages to landlines.
It defeats the object of having a mass warning system if you are only reaching a small subset of the population.

Justcol

Wouldn't the old nuclear attack / air raid warning sirens but just as effective

Pollyana

Some areas here do have sirens, but there are issues - pick a site relatively safe no matter what disaster is coming, keep thhem all maintained, and above all - they give you no idea what the disaster is, nor whether you should go to a shelter, move to high ground etc.
In some places there could be risk from Fire, Earthquake, Tsunami, Flood Cyclone and Storm Surge. We have even issued alerts lately for contaminated water supplies.Always helps to be able to give peole an idea what the threat is, and what action to take.

BEVS

Please see my post further up about the sirens and use of .

People with older phones, which will likely be the majority here, are NZ thrifty perhaps or maybe it is simply that we don't all need the latest wazzoos & gadgets. Just a phone that works.

Nowt wrong with wanting all the latest stuff if that is what you are into. It's all a part of the consumer market after all. I don't need that. Just something that works .

BTW. What phone do you have? It recd the alert .

scrubbedexpat094

Nope but I tried to play around with other settings to see if I could get it.

scrubbedexpat094

Quite. I resisted getting a smart phone for a long time. I still prefer my little Nokia that did me proud for many a year.

simonsi

https://support.apple.com/en-nz/HT202743

This is a specific notification method only open to Govt agencies - to differentiate it from normal sms/txt.

No idea why they only chose this or why they didn't fund multiple systems to increase the coverage - but a report here:

http://www.researchnz.com/pdf/Specia...martphones.pdf

Shows 70% penetration of smartphones as of 2015 so they have likely been guided by that, factor in only 1 smartphone in the family may need it for the overnight hours or in an office and that probably gives a really good coverage result, capable iPhones will likely be updated within a year to iOS 11 etc etc...

Note if you want to use an old phone then make sure you have a good buddy with a smartphone to let you know...

Pollyana

The very idea that they can turn them OFF astounds me. We do get requests from the public to opt out of the system but in Aus it impossible. If your phone - any phone - is in range, it will get it, like it or not. I don't have a lot of praise for things Australian, and its not perfect, but this in one system that I think is world class

simonsi

Not quite, it can be muted, blocked etc. If enabled (and they are all enabled by default), on the smartphones that are supported then it should cut through the modern features like do not disturb, silent etc etc

And as I said, most people are in areas/groups where a smartphone is present, it isn't necessary to hit every individual phone to get an effective warning to a high %.

Charismatic

Civil defence will just have to send a boy scout around on his bicycle with a letter signed by the prime minister to inform the rest of us of the impending disaster we are about to befall.

BEVS

Or in the case of here , a couple of well-meaning elderly folk unable to ride bicycles.


I am not talking me and 'im.

Pollyana

The Australian one cannot be blocked, Admittedly if your phone is on silent you won't hear it, but it will still get to the phone.

Stuck in Auckland

Has anyone tried

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