Nationwide test of the Emergency Mobile Alert system 14 June 2026

Forums › New Zealand Mobile and Wireless › Nationwide test of the Emergency Mobile Alert system 14 June 2026

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Stu

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#3502910 14-Jun-2026 18:40

Wife received it twice on her S22 Ultra (single SIM on 2degrees, VoWifi)

I received it only once on my S25 Ultra (dual SIM, 2degrees and Skinny, both numbers VoWifi)

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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boosacnoodle

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#3502911 14-Jun-2026 18:42

Working fine in Christchurch at a major medical facility. Gave a few people in the waiting a bit of a fright!

xpd

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#3502913 14-Jun-2026 18:48

Fine on my Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G in Whangaparaoa

XPD / Gavin

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#3502914 14-Jun-2026 18:59

Stu:

Wife received it twice on her S22 Ultra (single SIM on 2degrees, VoWifi)

I received it only once on my S25 Ultra (dual SIM, 2degrees and Skinny, both numbers VoWifi)

@Stu the alerts are not delivered over Wi-Fi calling only cellular based coverage so the handsets had mobile network coverage

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#3502915 14-Jun-2026 19:05

Linux:

@Stu the alerts are not delivered over Wi-Fi calling only cellular based coverage so the handsets had mobile network coverage

I know they are sent via cell sites, never really checked, but does a handset need an active SIM functioning on the device, or just be on, and be in the coverage of the cell site broadcasting it?

Linux

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#3502918 14-Jun-2026 19:07

Johnk:

Linux:

@Stu the alerts are not delivered over Wi-Fi calling only cellular based coverage so the handsets had mobile network coverage

I know they are sent via cell sites, never really checked, but does a handset need an active SIM functioning on the device, or just be on, and be in the coverage of the cell site broadcasting it?

functioning SIM / active mobile number

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mattwnz

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#3502920 14-Jun-2026 19:28

I think a lot of people put their phones on airplane mode and just use wifi during the weekends and evenings. I am not sure hire essential such a service is tbh when we have access to news alerts etc which are less intrusive. We also survived just fine before mobile phones were around. But as satellite calling becomes more popular I wonder if that will be supported

Stu

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#3502921 14-Jun-2026 19:38

@Linux:

Stu:

Wife received it twice on her S22 Ultra (single SIM on 2degrees, VoWifi)

I received it only once on my S25 Ultra (dual SIM, 2degrees and Skinny, both numbers VoWifi)

Stu the alerts are not delivered over Wi-Fi calling only cellular based coverage so the handsets had mobile network coverage

I know how the messages are sent. That's just how the phones are connected.

Still doesn't explain why only one network sent me a message when I have two active SIMs, or why the wife got the alert twice with only one SIM. The same thing happened last time there was a test. Shouldn't there be a message from each network the phone is connected to?

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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MaxineN

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#3502922 14-Jun-2026 19:39

Stu:

@Linux:

Stu:

Wife received it twice on her S22 Ultra (single SIM on 2degrees, VoWifi)

I received it only once on my S25 Ultra (dual SIM, 2degrees and Skinny, both numbers VoWifi)

Stu the alerts are not delivered over Wi-Fi calling only cellular based coverage so the handsets had mobile network coverage

I know how the messages are sent. That's just how the phones are connected.

Still doesn't explain why only one network sent me a message when I have two active SIMs, or why the wife got the alert twice with only one SIM. The same thing happened last time there was a test. Shouldn't there be a message from each network the phone is connected to?

You should report that.

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tim0001

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#3502944 14-Jun-2026 20:04

Johnk:

Linux:

@Stu the alerts are not delivered over Wi-Fi calling only cellular based coverage so the handsets had mobile network coverage

I know they are sent via cell sites, never really checked, but does a handset need an active SIM functioning on the device, or just be on, and be in the coverage of the cell site broadcasting it?

The alert went to 2 of my devices without any SIM (my old mobile and a tablet with LTE capability).

MaxineN

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#3502945 14-Jun-2026 20:05

tim0001:

Johnk:

Linux:

@Stu the alerts are not delivered over Wi-Fi calling only cellular based coverage so the handsets had mobile network coverage

I know they are sent via cell sites, never really checked, but does a handset need an active SIM functioning on the device, or just be on, and be in the coverage of the cell site broadcasting it?

The alert went to 2 of my devices without any SIM (my old mobile and a tablet with LTE capability).

Yup. Even on Emegency calls only they will still get alerts. It just needs to be attached to a cell site and be supported.

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Stu

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#3502998 14-Jun-2026 21:53

@tim0001, @MaxineN

But then this comment says the device needs to have a functioning SIM with an active mobile number? Or am I getting confused with something else?

Linux:

Johnk:

I know they are sent via cell sites, never really checked, but does a handset need an active SIM functioning on the device, or just be on, and be in the coverage of the cell site broadcasting it?

functioning SIM / active mobile number

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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vexxxboy

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#3503000 14-Jun-2026 22:16

my wife's tablet received it and it has no sim or ever had one , she thought she had destroyed it.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

MaxineN

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#3503002 14-Jun-2026 22:37

Stu:

@tim0001, @MaxineN

But then this comment says the device needs to have a functioning SIM with an active mobile number? Or am I getting confused with something else?

Linux:

Johnk:

I know they are sent via cell sites, never really checked, but does a handset need an active SIM functioning on the device, or just be on, and be in the coverage of the cell site broadcasting it?

functioning SIM / active mobile number

I am 99.99% extremely sure that the only two requirements is being attached to a cell site and for the device to be supported(ambiguous definition, there is no master list. If you didn’t get it as designed please report it)

I can go ask if you really want the 100%.

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#3503003 14-Jun-2026 22:57

I can confirm I also received the message on a cellphone that has no SIM card in it. I use the old mobile as an Internet Radio Streamer and Spotify PLayer to an amplifier so the old mobile is always on.

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