Finland to send emergency alerts directly to phones from November

Finland will begin sending emergency alerts directly to mobile phones in danger zones from the start of November, Yle reports, citing the Ministry of the Interior.

The new system, called FI-Alert, will supplement existing warning channels with faster, geographically targeted alerts. It uses Cell Broadcast technology and does not require a separate app.

Phones can receive the messages without users sharing personal information such as their phone number or location. The phone must be switched on and configured to receive Cell Broadcast messages. No advance software installation or subscription is needed, so the system can reach almost all phones that support the technology.

Alerts will appear on the phone screen without any action from the user and remain there until acknowledged. A distinct sound is designed to draw attention even when a phone is set to silent.

The Ministry of the Interior says Cell Broadcast is suited to emergency situations because it does not congest networks in the same way as mass text-message distribution.

At present, alerts can be received on smartphones through the 112 Suomi or Yle apps. Other channels include radio, television, page 112 of Text-TV, and the websites 112.fi and yle.fi.

The government proposed amending the law on emergency alerts in August to allow messages to be sent through Cell Broadcast. The president is expected to approve the law on Friday and bring it into force at the start of November.