If you are in the vicinity of an imminent emergency situation, the government will send a message via NL-Alert to your smartphone with information and instructions. The service will be tested on Monday 2 December 2019, at around noon. But how do you set up NL Alert on your iPhone, Samsung or other Android phone? Here you can read how.
This Monday the government sends around 12 a.m. NL-Alert a control message to all smartphones. This function is tested once in a while. The government uses NL-Alert during imminent emergencies to send a message to people in the vicinity of the situation and provides information and instructions. The service is used, for example, in the event of a fire, bad weather or an impending flood. NL-Alert also works when the network is overloaded, but must be set up for this. This happens automatically on some phones, but certainly not on all smartphones. Read below for each smartphone how to make the service available.
iPhone
On the iPhone it is very easy to prepare your phone for NL-Alert. Go to Settings and then to Reporting. Scroll all the way down there and make sure the slider next to it Emergency notifications is in green. You should receive the NL-Alert check message around 12:00. The option only works from the iPhone 4s with iOS 7, the service is not available on older versions.
Android
On older Android phones, setting is a bit more work because more steps are needed. With new Android smartphones, the feature is enabled by default.
Samsung
Do you have a Samsung from before 2012? With a Samsung you have to go to Messages / Option button / Settings / Cell Broadcast go and there Cell Broadcast switch. Afterwards My Channel and switch on a new channel. You give the channel the name NL-Alert at Channel name and enter at Channel number 919 in. Make sure you check the box Switch channel on have checked and then save the changes. Your Samsung must then receive the messages from NL-Alert. The function also works with smartphones from before January 2012.
Sony, LG and HTC
The option has already been set automatically on Sony smartphones, and this must also be the case on LG and HTC phones that appeared later than 2012. If in doubt about this, you can find the option on the LG within the Cell Broadcast app. Press the three dots and then Settings. NL-Alert should already be checked. If that is not the case, choose Channels> Add channel. Enter at Channel number 919 in and with Note NL-Alert. Then press Save.
With an HTC device, go to Main menu / Settings / Call and check Cell Broadcast On. Then choose Cell Broadcast settings and then insert a channel. Bee Channel Name then fill in NL-Alert and top up Channel number 919. If you do afterwards Switch channel on checked and on OK NL-Alert is set.
Do you own a Motorola telephone? Then go to Menu / Settings / Sound / Emergency warnings. Then check Extreme Threats show to. Your Motorola device is now set for NL-Alert.
Other smartphones
On devices with a bare version of Android, such as a Pixel, Pixel 2, Nexus and OnePlus phones, you go to Settings / More / Emergency broadcasts and there you tick Show extreme threats On. NL-Alert is already available on the other smartphones, so you don’t have to do anything. If you still want to know for sure whether the service is properly set up on your smartphone, you can visit the NL-Alert site for each smartphone “Setting help” consult to make sure it is right on your phone.
NL-Alert is free and also anonymous, and the messages are only sent if you are in the area where the emergency situation occurs. Your name and telephone number are not required and remain unknown.
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