Saudi Arabia to trial emergency alert system on smartphones

Saudi Arabia’s authorities will start trials for a phone warnings system on Monday which will be used during emergencies, state news agency SPA reported.

Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Civil Defense and the Communications and Information Technology Commission said the warnings will be sent as cell broadcasts at 5 p.m. locally starting on Feb. 15 and until Feb. 22 in a number of governorates, including Buqayq, Bahra, Qunfudha and others.

The directorate urged people make sure their phones are updated ahead of the tests and to evaluate the system through a link that will be sent out via SMS. The system will allow authorities to broadcast warnings in specific areas to warn and inform residents of emergencies, the report added.

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