As if there wasn’t enough issues dividing the province these days, yesterday’s B.C.-wide test of the Alert Ready system added more fuel to the debate fire.
Much like the limited success of the same test earlier this week in Ontario and Quebec – which pings a major emergency alert to everyone with a smartphone – some people received the alert and some didn’t.
The theories in workplaces across the province, as to why, ranged from having different network providers to a tongue-in-cheek “selective survival,” whereby the government chose a select few to receive the message.
In the Richmond News office, for example, of the 16 staff polled, 10 received the alert and six did not.
On Thursday, a B.C. government release indicated that the test was just that, a test.
“Test results reveal that some compatible phones that were on LTE networks did not receive the alert,” read the government’s press release.
“Alert Ready wireless testing undertaken this week in other provinces and territories showed similar results.
“Officials from participating provinces and Pelmorex, the company that manages the Alert Ready system, will discuss technical issues and determine how best to address them.”
The next steps, according to the government, will include addressing outstanding issues before the official launch of the expanded alert ready system in June.
More information on the findings of the test will be available soon.
On April 6, 2018, the federal government, provinces and wireless carriers launched wireless alert capability through the national Alert Ready program.
The system was expanded from TV and radio alerts to compatible wireless devices that are connected to LTE networks.
To find out if your wireless device is compatible with the Alert Ready system, visit AlertReady.ca
