Jeremy Gahagan
BBC News Live reporter

And that's a wrap... you can pop your phones away now.

We're now ending our coverage, thanks for joining us and providing your reaction to the nationwide alert test. You can read more about it in our main story here.

Have a great rest of your Sunday!

This page has been written by Jen Meierhans, Sarah Fowler, Emma Pengelly and edited by me.

Image source, PA Media

We'll soon be ending our coverage, but if you're just joining us - or want to relive that momentous (or not) emergency alert test - here's how it happened.

• A siren went off on smartphones across the UK as part of a government test of a system that will be used to warn of life-threatening emergencies

• The government told everyone it would come at 3pm but some people got it early and some not at all
• Those using the Three network were among those not to receive the alert, the company has said it is "working with the government to understand why"
• There was also an issue for Welsh speakers where a rogue word appeared on the message received with the alert
• Phones made a loud intermittent beep and a message saying "this is a test of emergency alerts" came up
• Despite much prior warning of the alert some people said it made them jump while others asked "was that it?!"
• The government will take feedback on how today's test has gone and if it's good these alerts could be used for real to warn people of severe flooding, fires and extreme weather and may also be used during terror attacks

The government says it's "effectively completed" the test of the national emergency alerts system - which it describes as "the biggest public communications exercise of its kind ever done".

"We are working with mobile network operators to review the outcome and any lessons learned," a spokeperson tells the BBC.

The plan is for these alerts to become a more regular part of the government’s emergency response.

Warnings will be sent directly to people's phones to warn of a danger to life nearby.

They could be sent in situations including public health emergencies, severe floods, fires, industrial incidents and terror attacks.

The Cabinet Office said the alerts would issue a warning, details of the affected area, advice on what to do, and a link to further information.

Jack Grey
BBC Wales News

The emergency test alert was a message aimed at keeping people "safe" but this wasn't quite the case for those reading in Welsh.

For the phrase "others safe" the message read "eraill yn Vogel" when it should have been "eraill yn ddiogel".

"Vogel" is a complete nonsense word in Welsh - although it is a ski resort in Slovenia.

The Home Office has been asked for comment.

Image source, Reuters

As we've been reporting, quite a few people didn't get an alert on their devices. Now the Three network has tweeted, external saying it was aware "that a number of customers" were affected.

"We're working closely with the government to understand why and ensure it doesn't happen when the system is in use," it adds.

We've been hearing from Three network-users who didn't get the alerts.

Neil says out of the three phones in his household, none received the alarm. “Common theme is they’re all on the Three network,” he added.

And a Three employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, told us:

Although, this was not the case for everyone. Yvonne, who is also with Three, did not get the alert but her friend, also on Three, did.

These types of alerts are critical for saving lives, the chief of the UN office for disaster risk reduction has been telling our colleagues on the BBC News channel.

Loretta Hieber Girardet says countries with effective early warning systems - including these types of alert - have a disaster mortality rate that is eight times lower than countries without the systems.

The alert is just one part of a chain that needs to happen, she adds, saying it is important to make sure these messages also reach those most vulnerable in communities.

It's also about making sure people know what to do once they get a message - that they know where to go and seek protection, Girardet says.

Yunus Mulla
Reporting from Derbyshire

I'm at the Commercial Inn in Glossop, a market town in the Peak District. It's a typical Sunday afternoon with around 40 people here, and quite a few families.

Speaking before the alert, a couple told me they were nervous and didn't know what to expect, and would have liked more information.

The signal isn't great in this pub or in the area and only some networks were showing a weak 4G inside - and that meant mixed results The alert did not go off at the same time for a few people and for the vast majority nothing.

I think the general feeling was that this was a bit of a disappointment.

Louise Pryce, 47, said: "I wasn't too sure what to expect."

Mark Smith is the manager here. He felt a bit left out because his phone did not vibrate or give him an alert.

But he is behind the system.

"I think it's a great idea. Anything that can prepare people can only be a good thing."

Joseph was at Paddington Station in central London when the alert went off.

He captured this video of the moment.

Jasmine Taylor-Coleman
Live reporter

I've just come out of a performance of Frozen in London's West End. It was officially for my daughter's fourth birthday treat but I can't pretend I wasn't excited.

When we arrived at the Theatre Royal the staff told everyone to turn their phones completely off. They repeated the message quite a few times. Still, it felt a bit ambitious to hope they'd avoid the emergency alarm disrupting the show at all.

And so at 3pm on the dot, quite a number of sirens did go off on the phones that had been left on, for whatever reason.

But the performers themselves were well prepared. Olaf the snowman was just lighting a fire on stage when the phones sounded. 'Oh I've set the fire alarm off' he joked.

The audience cheered as people around us rustled in bags to finally turn their phones OFF.

As we've been hearing, some people received the alert multiple times this afternoon.

Like John in Surrey. He said:

Image source, Handout

Here's some more reaction from BBC readers affected by this afternoon's alert.

Sarah McIvor says she had a proper "what is that?" moment when the alert sounded on her phone at 14:59 today - this despite all the prior warning, she admits. "It was a good 30 seconds early, which was unexpected considering the way automation works these days," she adds.

One person left feeling unimpressed was Maria Beer, who writes: "Blink and you would have missed the whole thing."

And another reader, Richard Nicholson, says he didn't receive the alert on his UK phone as he is based in Spain. He asks how he could warn elderly relatives in the UK who don't have access to a mobile?

Image source, Reuters

The emergency national alert test will not be accessing personal data about a user's device or specific location, the government says.

According to the Cabinet Office, alerts will be broadcast from mobile-phone masts, external to every compatible phone and tablet within range.

Neither the government nor emergency services need to know the mobile phone number or any other personal data.

Mae, who's 15, was in a library when the emergency alert went off.

She said: "It was full of teenagers and young adults studying for GCSEs and A-levels.

"The text went off and it was quite loud - everyone was a bit shocked and distracted for a time, but we were back to work within 30 seconds.

"My phone didn't go off, but my friend's did. I don't know why I didn't get it."

Our inboxes have been inundated with messages from readers who have either not received the alert or in some cases, received it more than once.

Jeannie Edwards was driving in the Silverstone area, Northamptonshire, when the alert sounded. "It was very loud and very distracting," she told the BBC.

Wendy Watlington called it a "bit of a damp squib" when neither her phone nor her iPad went off - but her friend's device, which was the oldest of the three, did work.

Linzi Berry, who works in a pub in Old Marston in Oxfordshire, said it didn't work on everyone's phone - and asks "surely that could be dangerous if there was an actual emergency?"

The UK-wide emergency alert system has been tested on mobile phones and tablets - here's what it was like.

The government sent the 10 seconds of sound and vibration to test a new emergency alerts system.

The system will be used to warn of extreme weather events, such as flash floods or wildfires, and it may also be used during terror incidents.

The newly appointed Deputy PM Oliver Dowden, who is in charge of the system, said it would be used only in situations where there was an immediate risk to life.

In most cases it will be targeted at very specific areas, rather than the entire country and, according to officials, may not be used for months or years.

Some people on Twitter said they were underwhelmed by the emergency alert.

John tweeted: "Was that it? It sounded like they were going to announce tuppence off cabbages in Lidl. Well, that's going by the sound my husband's phone made - mine didn't go off at all."

James wrote: "3pm test at 14:59" with a laughing emoji.

Donna tweeted: "Was that it!!!!!"

Wez wrote: "Well the govt alert system was a big fail, my phone worked but other family members didn’t… just the confidence you need in a life or death situation."

Diane wrote: "Mine was 14.59...my daughter's still waiting...least I'm safe."

Emma Owen
Live reporter

My alarm went off on the dot of 3pm - coinciding with the BBC News headlines as I pottered around my kitchen.

But my son, who is beavering away upstairs on his Playstation, did not get one. His friends told him he'd be left alone in a crisis.

And my daughter, studying in a nearby library, didn't get one either. Which is probably just as well.

Alexandra Mackenzie
Reporting from Glasgow

We were taken a bit by surprise as the alert came a bit early - a few minutes before 3pm. There was a bit of noise in the street with pulling their phones out of their pockets to have a look.

Then everything went back to normal very quickly with no fuss.

Some colleagues here in the newsroom are yet to receive any alert on their phones.

We'll bring you any response from the government should they comment on this afternoon's test.