"A great system lads": Mobile phone users left confused after emergency alert fails to sound at 3pm

Mobile phone users were left confused on Sunday afternoon (April 23) after the emergency alert test failed to go off at the planned time of 3pm.

The Government had announced it was trailing a new emergency alert system, going out to all mobile phones across the UK. The new service, which will be used to warn people about dangerous situations, such as floods or wildfires, was tested out nationwide on all mobile phones that are compatible with 4G and 5G.

However, some took to Twitter confused that their alert went off before, or after, the planned time of 3pm. Some complained it had sounded at 2.59pm as others claimed they didn't even get the notification at all.

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Radio 1s Greg James tweeted: "You went early you pr***s. Do it at 3pm if you say it’s gonna be 3pm. 2:59pm isn’t 3pm. HOW CAN WE TRUST IT IF YOU CAN’T SET IT OFF ON TIME?"

As @SarahHemm wrote: "So it seems a) the alert went off a minute early b) masses of people didn’t get one at all. A great system lads. #emergencyalert" and @catluvrT_T posted: "emergency alert went off 1 minute early."

Others also faced the same problem, as @ThonGingerFella comically wrote: "Emergency alert went off early on my phone, didn't go off at all on the other 4 in the house. Looks like I'm getting some decent rations when the sh** hits the fan."

@DinahSW tweeted: "The alert went off on one of my phones early. I completely forgot I had a second phone, until it went off quite a bit after I'd turned the first one off!"

And another mobile phone user, @gg41r added: "My Emergency alert went off 1 minute early. i feel cheated. I was all hyped to be alerted at 3pm...but no, as usual, the govt promise one thing, then