AT-Alert

The Civil Protection Association informs you about here the AT-Alert service, which is technically implemented by the Ministry of the Interior, the provincial warning centers and the mobile network operators.

Test phase

AT-Alert has been in a test phase since the beginning of September.
Therefore, experiences may still vary depending on the cell phone model, operating system and mobile phone provider.
For technical questions or concerns, please contact the Federal Ministry of the Interior directly at at-alert@bmi.gv.at .

Your warning message directly to your cell phone

AT-Alert is a service that allows authorities to send warning messages directly to cell phones. “AT” stands for Austria and “Alert” means alarm. Using cell broadcast technology, messages are sent to all cell phones within selected cell phone radio cells. This allows millions of recipients to be contacted anonymously in a short space of time. An AT Alert message contains information about an event that has occurred or is imminent and recommendations for the correct behavior. Austria has a nationwide warning and alert system with around 8,300 civil defense sirens. AT-Alert will not replace this proven warning system, but rather supplement the sirens. The aim of this new additional warning channel is to reach as many affected people as possible directly via their cell phones in the event of an emergency. AT-Alert will therefore be used throughout Austria. Please find out whether your cell phone is suitable for AT-Alert. You can find more information in the FAQ section “What settings are available on the cell phone?”

Current warnings

An overview of the currently active AT-Alert messages can be found on the website of Rundfunk und Telekom Regulierungs-GmbH (RTR) at warnings.at-alert.at . Please note that these may still be incomplete during the AT-Alert test phase.

FAQ

If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact the Federal Ministry of the Interior directly at the following e-mail address at-alert@bmi.gv.at .

AT-Alert is a service that allows authorities to send alert messages directly to cell phones.
By using the Cell Broadcast System, messages can be sent quickly and anonymously to all cell phones within selected mobile radio cells.
A warning message contains information about an event that has occurred or is imminent and recommendations for the correct behavior.
There are different warning levels, whereby the highest warning level, the emergency alarm, is always activated and cannot be deactivated.

The abbreviation “AT” is the internationally recognized two-digit country code for Austria and the English term “Alert” means “alarm”.

In principle, any person can receive AT Alert messages if the cell phone…

  • is located in the guarded area
  • is switched on
  • is not in flight mode
  • has an up-to-date operating system (Android from version 11, iOS/iPhone from version 17.4)

AT-Alert is automatically activated in the operating systems.
Thanks to the Cell Broadcast System, people whose telephone is registered abroad, such as holidaymakers, are also warned in the event of an emergency if they are in an area with a warning. The highest warning level “Emergency alert” is always activated and cannot be switched off.
Even if your phone is muted, the emergency alarm triggers a loud notification.
The other warning levels can optionally be deactivated.
(see section “What settings are available on the cell phone?”).
AT Alert messages are sent out until the triggering location either actively stops sending them or the message expires automatically after a preset time.

In principle, AT Alert messages can be triggered by any imminent or existing event (emergency, disaster) that authorities classify as potentially life-threatening.
Examples of possible trigger cases are

  • Natural hazards: severe storms such as storms, extremely heavy rainfall, high flood risk, heavy snowfall, high avalanche risk, forest fire risk, …
  • Technical hazards: Accidents involving radiological, biological and chemical substances, such as gas leaks, chemical leaks, explosion hazards, flue gas hazards, etc.
  • Police situations with acute danger

Follow the recommendations in the AT Alert message.
It states how you should behave.
Official warnings that result in civil defense sirens being triggered are also announced by Austrian radio (e.g. Ö3 and ORF regional studios).
If necessary, further recommendations and instructions from the authorities are announced on the radio. Therefore, turn on the radio after a warning (siren, AT Alert message) has been triggered and listen to the information and recommendations of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation.
At the local level, the responsible authorities and organizations with security tasks also endeavour to provide the population with information and recommendations for action via loudspeaker announcements if necessary.

AT Alert messages comprise various warning levels.
Basically there are:

  • Emergency alarm
  • Extreme danger
  • Significant danger
  • Hazard information
  • Departed persons
  • Test warning
  • Exercise warning

You will find an overview of all alert levels in the phone settings. The highest alert level, the emergency alert, is always activated by default and cannot be switched off.
The emergency alarm triggers a loud notification, even if your phone is set to silent.
The other alert levels can be switched on or off via the settings menu (see section “What settings are available on the cell phone?”).
The relevant authority decides which warning level is used to send a message.

AT-Alert is automatically activated on your cell phone.
In principle, cell phones with the latest operating system (Android from version 11, iOS/iPhone from version 17.4) can receive any alert level.
iPads are not supported.
Apple Watches from Series 4 with cellular capability are supported.
Older cell phones (2G/GSM network) can only receive the highest alert level “Emergency Alert”. The highest alert level “Emergency Alert” is always activated on your cell phone and cannot be switched off.
Even if your phone is muted, the emergency alarm triggers a loud notification.
The other alert levels (see section “What alert levels are available with AT-Alert?”) can optionally be deactivated.
We recommend calling up the corresponding menu in your cell phone under “Settings”:

  • Android: Security and emergency
  • iOS/iPhone: Messages

You will find the following warning levels there, which can be activated or deactivated: Android

  • Extreme danger
  • Significant danger
  • Hazard information
  • Departed persons
  • Test warning

It is also necessary that a current version of the Google Play application is installed. iOS/iPhone

  • Extreme danger
  • Serious danger
  • Hazard information
  • Missing persons
  • Test warning
  • Exercise warning

A general overview of the subsequent retrieval of AT alert messages cannot currently be provided.
The retrievability depends on the operating system and can change at any time due to updates. Android operating system It is possible to search for “Emergency” via the settings menu.
This takes you to the menu item “Emergency notifications”.
There you will find the “Previous emergency notifications” tab, where the AT Alert message can be seen. iOS operating system

The subsequent retrieval of AT-Alert messages on an Apple iPhone with the iOS operating system is currently only possible to a limited extent.
The AT Alert messages can currently only be found in the message center of your iPhone.
To be able to read the AT Alert messages again on the iPhone, swipe your finger from top to bottom on the iPhone’s home screen.
All received messages will be displayed again in the message center.
Attention: This only works as long as the message center is not emptied.
If the Notification Center is emptied by clicking the “x” in the top right-hand corner, the AT Alert message is deleted and irretrievably lost from the iOS operating system!

According to current information, the end device manufacturers and operating system manufacturers are working on improving the retrievability of messages.

Information about the iPhone message center (external link)

Cell phones can also receive AT Alert messages in “Do Not Disturb” mode, as AT Alert messages are stored as a so-called “critical alarm”.
However, it is possible that there may be differences between the operating systems.
Unlike in flight mode, the mobile connection is not interrupted in “Do not disturb” mode.
Therefore, no AT Alert messages can be received in flight mode, but AT Alert messages can be received in “Do not disturb” mode.

Senior telephones often have 4G or at least 2G GSM.
This means that they are generally ready to receive AT Alert messages.
If a senior citizen’s phone is only equipped with a 2G module, only alarms of the highest alert level “Emergency alert” are transmitted.

There is no general answer as to how individual cell phones react to AT Alert messages and display the warning, as this can vary depending on the device and manufacturer.

The triggering authorities for AT-Alert are the nine state warning centers of the federal states and the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
They transmit a message to the mobile network operators for or on behalf of the competent authority (see section “How does cell broadcasting work?”) Whether an AT-Alert message is sent is at the discretion of the competent authority or, if necessary, the acting emergency organization if there is imminent danger.
If an AT Alert message is sent, they determine the text and the areas (federal state, municipality).

An overview of currently active AT-Alert warnings can be found on the website of Rundfunk und Telekom Regulierungs-GmbH (RTR) at warnings.at-alert.at .
Please note that this may still be incomplete during the AT-Alert test phase.

“Cell broadcast” is a technology standard of modern mobile networks that enables the transmission of written messages (e.g. safety-relevant information, warnings) directly to cell phones in a specific, geographically defined area.
The term “cell broadcast” stands for the mobile radio cell on the one hand and for the transmission (broadcast) on the other and describes the technical possibility of transmitting the messages in one or more cells of a mobile radio network.
Since danger zones and areas with mobile radio coverage cannot be exactly aligned, it is sometimes possible that people who are not directly at risk will also receive messages.
However, due to the large number of mobile radio cells, messages can be sent out in a targeted manner.

The triggering units select the affected area in a computer-aided system and create a message text.
This information is automatically transmitted to the mobile network operators and sent to all registered cell phones in the mobile cells of the affected area.
(see section “How does Cell Broadcast work?”)

In technical terms, great importance was attached to high redundancy when implementing AT-Alert in order to make this important system as fail-safe as possible.
AT-Alert is dependent on a functioning mobile phone network.

As of 2024, three network operators (A1, Magenta, Drei) operate mobile networks with around 20,000 mobile cells in Austria.
If a message is sent, a selection can be made from this large number of mobile cells.

The message always states from which authority the message was sent.
Official warnings that result in civil defense sirens being triggered are also announced by Austrian radio (e.g. Ö3 and ORF regional studios).
If necessary, further recommendations for action and instructions from the authorities are also announced on the radio.

The highest security standards (including the use of certificates for data transmission) ensure that only the initiating bodies can send messages via AT-Alert on behalf of or for the responsible authorities.

The mobile radio technology “Cell Broadcast”, on which AT-Alert is based, guarantees complete anonymity due to the way it works. No personal data is requested or used.
The warning texts are sent via the control channel of the mobile radio cells.
There is no feedback, so receiving a message via cell broadcast is similar to receiving it via radio.
The initiating body has no information about the cell phones reached, nor about the personal data of the cell phone users.

#ATalert

📱 AT-Alert, Warn-Meldungen, Cell Broadcast – Was ist das?

Mit AT-Alert wird in Österreich ein neues Warnsystem eingeführt, das dich bei Notfällen sofort informiert. Über Cell Broadcast werden Warn-Meldungen direkt auf dein Handy gesendet, ohne dass du eine spezielle App benötigst.
Das Ziel? Schnelle und gezielte Information bei Katastrophen wie Hochwasser, Bränden oder schweren Unwettern, um Leben zu schützen und Schäden zu minimieren.

Mehr dazu findest du auf unserer Website ➡️ www.zivilschutz.at/AT-alert

#özsv #zivilschutz #zivilschutzverband #ATalert

27 1
Open
📱 AT-Alert, Warn-Meldungen, Cell Broadcast – Was ist das? Mit AT-Alert wird in Österreich ein neues Warnsystem eingeführt, das dich bei Notfällen sofort informiert. Über Cell Broadcast werden Warn-Meldungen direkt auf dein Handy gesendet, ohne dass du eine spezielle App benötigst. Das Ziel? Schnelle und gezielte Information bei Katastrophen wie Hochwasser, Bränden oder schweren Unwettern, um Leben zu schützen und Schäden zu minimieren. Mehr dazu findest du auf unserer Website ➡️ www.zivilschutz.at/AT-alert #özsv #zivilschutz #zivilschutzverband #ATalert

📱 AT-Alert, Warn-Meldungen, Cell Broadcast – Was ist das?

Mit AT-Alert wird in Österreich ein neues Warnsystem eingeführt, das dich bei Notfällen sofort informiert. Über Cell Broadcast werden Warn-Meldungen direkt auf dein Handy gesendet, ohne dass du eine spezielle App benötigst.
Das Ziel? Schnelle und gezielte Information bei Katastrophen wie Hochwasser, Bränden oder schweren Unwettern, um Leben zu schützen und Schäden zu minimieren.

Mehr dazu findest du auf unserer Website ➡️ www.zivilschutz.at/AT-alert

#özsv #zivilschutz #zivilschutzverband #ATalert ...

27 1