Emergency Mobile Alert Matohi Waea Pūkoro Ohotata
Find out about Emergency Mobile Alert. Emergency Mobile Alerts keep people safe. Alerts are broadcast to all capable phones from targeted cell towers.
What is Emergency Mobile Alert?
Emergency Mobile Alerts are messages about emergencies. They are sent by authorised emergency agencies to capable mobile phones. The alerts keep people safe and are broadcast to all capable phones from targeted cell towers.
The alerts are targeted to areas affected by serious hazards. They will only be sent when there is a serious threat to life, health or property, and, in some cases, for test purposes.
How to get Emergency Mobile Alert
To get Emergency Mobile Alerts, you need a phone capable of receiving them. The phone also needs to have cell reception and up-to-date software. You don’t have to download an app or subscribe to a service.
- Check if your phone is on the list of capable phones.
- Update your phone’s operating system software.
Please refer to your phone manual or talk to your mobile operator if you need help updating your phone.
We expect half of New Zealand's phones will be able to receive the alerts. We expect this number to rise over time.
Can I opt out of Emergency Mobile Alert?
As Emergency Mobile Alert is about keeping you safe, you won’t be able to opt out of receiving Emergency Mobile Alerts.
We do not target specific phones, instead we broadcast to a targeted area that is at risk. For this reason, we are unable to exclude your specific phone.
Your phone may show optional settings used in other countries, but in New Zealand we use a special broadcast channel that is permanently on.
Read the Decision for Emergency Mobile Alert to remain a non-opt-out channel for more information.
More information and resources
We’ve compiled helpful answers to frequently asked questions about Emergency Mobile Alert.
Read the Director's Statement for Emergency Mobile Alert Device Standards. It defines the desired mobile device standards for emergency alerting in New Zealand.
Download this factsheet in English explaining the Emergency Mobile Alert system.
Download this factsheet in Te Reo Māori explaining the Emergency Mobile Alert system.
Download this factsheet explaining the Emergency Mobile Alert system. Available in multiple languages.