Key Takeaways
- New Zealand’s annual Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) test will occur between 6 pm and 7 pm on Sunday; recipients do not need to act beyond confirming receipt.
- The system uses cell‑broadcast technology (geotargeting) to push a loud buzz and text to every compatible phone within a defined area, even if the device is on silent.
- Over the past year, 66 alerts were issued – up from 53 the previous year – reflecting more frequent and severe weather events and other hazards.
- Alerts are sent only by authorised agencies (NEMA, Civil Defence, Police, Fire, Health, MPI) after a multi‑step vetting process that weighs certainty, severity and urgency.
- No phone numbers are stored or used; the alert is a signal broadcast from cell towers, so opting out is impossible except by turning the phone off or switching to airplane mode.
- Public education stresses that EMA is one layer of warning; people should also heed MetService forecasts, local Civil Defence updates, radio, and natural warning signs.
- Reported issues—missed, duplicate, or delayed alerts—usually stem from receiver‑side factors (phone age, software, location relative to tower coverage) rather than a failure of the broadcast system itself.
- Ongoing network upgrades (5G, expanded coverage) and public awareness campaigns aim to improve reliability and reduce “alert fatigue.”
Overview of the Emergency Mobile Alert Test
Every year, New Zealand runs a nationwide test of its Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) system to verify that the technology works across the country and to familiarise the public with the signal. The 2025 test is scheduled for Sunday evening between 6 pm and 7 pm. Recipients will hear a loud buzz and receive a short text message, even if their phones are set to silent or they are in a cinema or concert venue. National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) communications manager Anthony Frith stresses that no action is required beyond checking that the alert arrived; the test is purely a system check and a learning opportunity for users.
How Alerts Reach Millions of Phones
EMA messages are delivered via cell‑broadcast technology, sometimes called geotargeting. When an alert is triggered, the responsible agency selects a geographic area—ranging from the whole country for a national test to a small neighbourhood for a local hazard—and draws a polygon around it. Cell towers covering that area then broadcast the message to every compatible handset within range, using the same mechanism that carries SMS but without needing individual phone numbers. Because the signal is sent from the tower to the phone, it arrives regardless of the device’s silent mode or do‑not‑disturb settings.
Recent Increase in Alert Frequency
Data from NEMA show a noticeable rise in the number of alerts issued. In the last 12 months, 66 alerts were sent, compared with 53 during the same period the year before. Frith attributes this uptick primarily to the growing severity and frequency of extreme weather events—such as heavy rainfall, storms, and coastal surges—as well as occasional non‑weather incidents like chemical leaks or boil‑water notices. Telecommunications Forum Chief Executive Paul Brislen notes that New Zealand’s alert system is more mature than Australia’s, which is only beginning to trial a comparable service.
Technical Foundations: Cell Broadcast and Everbridge
The underlying platform is supplied by a division of Everbridge Public Warning, an American firm specialising in public‑warning solutions. Everbridge advertises that a single message can reach millions of devices within the targeted area in seconds. When an agency decides to issue an alert, it defines the polygon of affected cell towers; the towers then simultaneously push the broadcast to all phones listening on the broadcast channel. This architecture allows the system to scale rapidly without overloading individual network pathways.
Privacy: No Phone Numbers Collected
A common concern is whether the system harvests personal data. Frith clarifies that EMA does not store or use telephone numbers. The alert is a pure signal transmitted from the cell tower to the phone, akin to a radio broadcast. Once the message leaves NEMA’s portal, it is handled entirely by the mobile network infrastructure; no list of subscribers is accessed, retained, or shared.
Who Can Send Alerts and the Approval Process
Only specific organisations possess the authority to trigger an EMA: NEMA, Civil Defence Emergency Management groups, NZ Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry for Primary Industries. Before an alert is released, a protocol requires verification of certainty, severity, and urgency, often involving sign‑off from multiple officials within the issuing agency. This multi‑layered check helps prevent false alarms and maintains public trust in the system’s credibility.
Integrating Alerts with Other Information Sources
Officials repeatedly emphasise that EMA is just one component of a broader warning ecosystem. Frith advises the public to supplement alerts with MetService forecasts, local Civil Defence social‑media feeds, radio news (including RNZ’s statutory civil‑defence lifeline), and personal observation of natural signs such as rising floodwaters, ground shaking, or landslide indicators. Brislen warns against “alert fatigue”—the tendency to ignore warnings if they become too frequent—stressing that alerts are reserved for genuinely severe and urgent threats to life, health, or property.
Opting Out: Limits and Practical Advice
Because the alert is broadcast from cell towers, there is no subscriber list to remove oneself from; therefore, opting out of the test is not possible through settings. The only reliable way to avoid the audible and vibrational notification is to switch the phone to airplane mode or power it off entirely for the duration of the test. Brislen acknowledges that many find the alerts loud and disruptive, yet surveys show most people still value them highly and treat them seriously when they do arrive.
Real‑World Examples and Reported Glitches
Past incidents illustrate both the strengths and limits of the system. During the July 2023 8.8‑magnitude earthquake off Kamchatka, many New Zealanders received an early‑morning tsunami warning, while others missed it or got duplicate messages. NEMA’s John Price labelled the duplication a glitch, but Frith explained that the broadcast itself worked correctly; the issues arose at the receiver end—due to factors like phone model, software updates, or temporary loss of tower contact. Similarly, a Hamilton family that did not receive a tsunami alert was correctly omitted because Hamilton lies outside the tsunami‑inundation zone, highlighting the importance of public understanding of geographic targeting.
Future Improvements and Public Education
Network operators continue to roll out 5G and expand coverage, which should enhance the consistency and reach of cell‑broadcast messages. NEMA is also investing in outreach campaigns to clarify how geotargeting works, why some people may not receive an alert, and how to interpret the message when it arrives. By combining technical upgrades with clearer communication, the agency aims to maintain the system’s reliability while minimising unnecessary alarm and preserving public confidence in emergency warnings.