Alert and protect: national deployment of the FR-Alert system

FR-ALERT is an alert system for populations which allows you to send notifications to the mobile phones of those present in an area faced with a danger. This system is operational everywhere in France France and overseas since June 2022.

Fr-Alert: on Android, iPhone, what is it ?

The FR-Alert alert system is deployed by default in all the smartphones of the French. Tests are carried out in 2023. Several citizens can receive a notification accompanied by a sound signal.

• What is fr-alert ?
• What’s the point ?
• FR-ALERT on iPhone
• FR-ALERT on Android
• Dangers
• Functioning
• Download or update ?
• What to do if I receive an alert notification ?
• Personal data

Flood, nuclear incident, Pandemic, biological risk or act terrorist. FR-ALERT is the new alert and information system for populations. Notifications have been sent since the beginning of 2023 in certain regions of France by the digital department of the Ministry of the Interior (DNUM) since the start of 2023. It is technical tests deployed on the national territory. “”No action is required from citizens receiving these alert messages“Indicates the government. I L allows you to prevent in real time any person with a mobile phone (iPhone, Samsung. ) of his presence in a danger zone in order to inform him of the behaviors to be adopted to protect himself. If you are in a dangerous area, you receive a written notification accompanied by a specific sound signal , Even if your mobile phone is in silent mode . Receipt of this notification does not requires no installation on your phone. This is not an application To download.

What is fr-alert ?

FR-ALERT is an alert system deployed throughout French territory Since October 2022. It allows you to send Alert notifications to anyone with a mobile phone (iPhone, Android) as soon as they are located in an area faced with a serious event (dangerous). Fr-Alert gives information on:

• therenature risk (fire, flood, industrial accident, etc.);
• authority which broadcasts the alert;
• there location of the danger (establishment, district, commune, agglomeration, department. );
• the attitude to adopt (stay at home, evacuate the area…);
• If necessary, a link to obtain Additional Information on an official website.

“This tool is Complementary to existing alert systems in France (more than 2,000 connected sirens to remote trigger software, activation of TV and radio media for dissemination of alert and information messages on their antennas as well as the mobilization of institutional accounts on social networks, etc.) and constitutes a response adapted to a Large perimeter of risks and threats“underlines the Ministry of the Interior. The launch of this alert system was announced after the fire of The Lubrizol factory in Rouen in 2019. A European directive of December 2018 forced France to have this type of security system Before June 21, 2022.

Why download Fr-Alert ?

There is No need to download Fr-Alert since it is automatically activated on the smartphones of the French. Its interest is to be warned in the event of danger close to oneself: fire, flood, pollution, gas leak, nuclear incident, epidemic, pandemic, agro-food incident, storm and cyclone, tsunami, volcanic eruption ..

How to put fr-alert on iPhone ?

When putting FR-Alert into service, you had to receive an update to be performed on the iPhone. To force the operator update, go to settings> general> information. If you buy an iPhone after putting an alert system into service (like Fr-Alert a priori), Government alerts are activated on your device, explains Apple. When you receive this type of alert, a specific sound similar to that of an alarm is issued. To activate or deactivate these alerts ::

1. Go to settings> Notifications.
2. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen.
3. Under “government alerts”, activate or deactivate alerts.
4. In some countries and regions, you may not be able to deactivate government alerts.

Government alerts are supported when using a SIM card provided by a compatible operator. If your iPhone can receive these alerts and is near your Apple Watch, or if your watch is connected to a Wi-Fi network, it can also.

How to put fr-alert on Android ?

There is nothing to do for users of smartphones with Android. The FR-Alert system is automatically activated for these phones.

What are the dangers alerted by FR-Alert ?

The events justifying to alert populations are:

• Natural events : flood, storm and cyclone, fire, tsunami, volcanic eruption ..
• Biological and chemical events : pollution, gas leak, nuclear incident.
• Health events : epidemic, pandemic, agro-food incident ..
• Technological and industrial events : breakdown of telecommunications means, serious accidents on road, rail or aerial networks, industrial incident.
• Serious public security event, terrorist act

The notification is not displayed on extinct smartphones or in plane mode

How does the FR-Alert device work ?

The system sends Notifications on mobile phones Individuals located in areas where a danger is present, even if the phone is in silent mode. “”FR-ALERT combines two different technologies: the Cell dissemination, available at the end of June 2022 and Geolocalized SMS, which will be deployed later. These technologies make it possible to send messages to all mobile phones present in the territory concerned by the alert, as soon as they are connected to the network“Indicates the Ministry of the Interior. The notification is not displayed on extinct smartphones or in plane mode. “”Depending on the brand of the mobile phone, the operator and the place in which you will find yourself when sending the alert, reception times different from notifications may be noted“Specifies the Ministry of the Interior.

Should you download an application or update my smartphone ?

There is No need to download a mobile application or register before a platform to receive alerts. But if you have a Iphone (Apple), you must launch the new “Operator settings update“” To receive notifications. The holders of an Android phone have no approach to perform.

What to do if I receive an alert notification ?

The alert notification includes instructions and advice for security actions to protect itself in the face of this danger (shelter, evacuation, etc.). A link to an official website to have additional information can be sent. Upon receipt of the alert, it is therefore advisable to take note of all of this information and to implement the actions and behaviors indicated in order to protect yourself and reduce the risk of exposure to danger.

Does the government have access to my personal data ?

“The State and its alert system for the population FR-Alert do not have access to the geolocation of mobile phones since this technology is based on sending the alert via the relay antennas of telephone operators“reassures the Ministry of the Interior.

– National technical test, February 28, 2023, Ministry of the Interior

– Alert and protect: national deployment of the FR-Alert system, October 18, 2022, Ministry of the Interior

-Experimentation of the FR-ALERT system before its national deployment, April 22, 2022, Ministry of the Interior

Alert and protect: national deployment of the FR-Alert system

FR-ALERT is the new alert and information system for populations. Deployed on the national territory since the end of June 2022, FR-ALERT makes it possible to prevent in real time any person holding a mobile phone of their presence in a danger zone in order to inform him of the behaviors to be adopted to protect himself.

If you are in one of the areas affected by an imminent danger or a major risk, you can receive a notification accompanied by a specific sound signal, even if your mobile phone is in silent mode. Receiving this notification does not require any prior installation on your phone. Depending on the brand of the mobile phone, the operator and the place in which you will find yourself when sending the alert, reception times different from notifications may be found.

This tool is complementary to existing alert systems (more than 2,000 mermaids connected to remote trigger software, activation of TV and radio media for dissemination of alert and information messages on their antennas as well as the mobilization of institutional accounts on social networks, etc.) and constitutes a response adapted to a large perimeter of risk and threats.

Find the information relating to the FR-Alert device and its operation:

Fr-Alert, what’s exactly ?

FR-ALERT is an alert system for populations which allows you to send notifications to the mobile phones of those present in an area faced with a danger. This system is operational everywhere in France France and overseas since June 2022.

This system makes it possible to complete the alert devices of the existing populations by allowing to alert, through mobile telephony, on the nature and the location of a danger or a threat and to indicate actions and behaviors to adopt to protect yourself from these dangers or reduce exposure to the effects of these threats as much as possible.

Notifications may transmit information on:

• the nature of the risk (a fire, a flood, an industrial accident, etc.);
• the authority that disseminates the alert;
• the location of the danger (establishment, district, commune, agglomeration, department. );
• the attitude to adopt (stay at home, evacuate the area …);
• If necessary a link to obtain additional information on an official website.

In addition to the alert notification, additional information relating to the evolution of the situation will be disseminated by the same channel in the same geographic area: details on the nature of the danger, the geographic area concerned, on the behaviors to be adopted … the end of the alert will also be the subject of sending a notification.

For what types of events can I receive alerts ?

Any type of major event justifying the population concerned for security and in particular:

• Natural events: flood, storm and cyclone, fire, tsunami, volcanic eruption ..
• Biological and chemical: pollution, gas leak, nuclear incident.
• Sanitarians: epidemic, pandemic, agro-food incident ..
• Technological and industrial: breakdown of telecommunications means, serious accidents on road, rail or aerial networks, industrial incident.
• Serious public security event, terrorist act

What should I do if I receive an alert notification on my mobile phone ?

The alert notification includes the information to know:

• the nature of the current or imminent event and therefore of the danger it represents or is likely to represent;
• the place where the geographic area where this danger manifests itself or is likely to manifest itself;
• instructions and advice for security actions to protect yourself in the face of this danger (shelter, evacuation, etc.);
• If necessary, a link to an official website to have additional information.

Upon receipt of the alert, it is therefore necessary to learn about all of this information and to implement the actions and behaviors indicated in order to protect yourself and reduce the risk of exposure to danger.

Fr-Alert on the mobile phone, how it works ?

FR-ALERT combines two different technologies: cell diffusion (Cell Broadcast), available since the end of June 2022 and geolocated SMS (LB-SMS or Rental-Based SMS), which will be deployed later. These technologies allow you to send messages to all mobile phones present in the territory concerned by the alert, as soon as they are connected to the network.

• What is cell diffusion (CB) ?

It consists in the broadcast of a notification which appears on the phone screen in a few seconds, and which can be accompanied by intrusive sound. This message is therefore broadcast via telecommunications antennas in the form of radio waves, on a dedicated channel.

• What is geolocated SMS technology ?

It consists in the dissemination of SMS in a given geographical area. The message is broadcast via the relay antennas identified in the sector to be alerted by the SMS Center.

Why combine cell diffusion technologies and geolocated SMS ?

The cell diffusion operates on 4G (then in the future on 5G). It will alert the population in a few seconds, which is particularly relevant in particular in the event of a rapid kinetic crisis requiring immediate safety.

Geolocated SMS, for their part, conventionally operate on 2G, 3G, 4G. However, the diffusion of large volumes of SMS can take more time.

Each of these two technologies is complementary, their combination allowing an optimal alert.

Do I have to register in FR-ALERT to receive alerts ?

No. FR-ALERT is designed to alert anyone present in the alert area, thanks to telecommunications networks. It is not necessary to register beforehand to receive alerts, no matter where you are in and the mobile phone you use.

Do I have to download an application ?

No: no application is needed to receive mobile phone alerts.

Will the state have access to my location data ?

No. The state and its population alert system FR-Alert do not have access to the geolocation of mobile phones since this technology is based on sending the alert via the relay antennas of telephone operators.

Do operators have access to my location data ?

Structurally, a mobile network requires having access to the approximate location of connected phones to be able to send them calls, SMS, data flows. The activity of telecommunications operator is subject to many regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), to protect and supervise access to personal data and in particular those of location.

What happens if my phone is locked or in silent mode ?

Cell Diffusion Alerts (or Cell Broadcast) take the form of priority notifications that arrive at the same time on all mobile phones, are displayed on the phone screen, even if it is locked. The message can be accompanied by a sound alert as well as a vibration to assert its critical character.

On the other hand, the alert notification will not appear on extinct phones or in “plane mode”.

I have a visual impairment, how will I be alerted ?

Today, most phones allow accessibility features to be activated to adapt the zoom level of the interface, the size of the characters, the contrasts, or to obtain a voice transcription of the messages received, that ‘It is SMS or cell diffusion. Receiving the alert notification will be adapted to the accessibility features determined by the owner of the mobile phone.

Will alerts only be broadcast in French ?

Alert notifications can be disseminated in several languages, especially when they concern areas known for their tourism attendance.

Will I receive advertising via Fr-Alert ?

No, FR-ALERT is a state system exclusively used for the dissemination of population alert.

FR-ALERT replaces other alert systems available in the territory ?

No. The FR-ALERT system completes the population alert and information system (SAIP) which includes more than 2,000 sirens connected to remote trigger software, activation of TV and radio media for Dissemination of messages D ‘Alert and information on their branches as well as the mobilization of institutional accounts on social networks. All these complementary tools constitute a response adapted to a large perimeter of risks and threats.

What system for our European neighbors ?

Most Member States of the European Union have chosen one of the two technological solutions to disseminate the alert by the mobile telephony mentioned above (cell diffusion and geolocated SMS). At this stage, the majority of the Member States chose cellular dissemination (Spain, Italy, Denmark, Greece …) or geolocated SMS (Ireland, Poland, Sweden …), or even mobile applications (Germany, Finland..)).

Fr-Alert, how it works ?

Deployed on the national territory since June, the system allows you to prevent in real time any person holding a mobile phone of their presence in a danger zone.

FR-ALERT is a population alert system which allows you to send notifications to mobile phones of people present in an area faced with a danger.

This system is operational everywhere in France France and overseas since June 2022.

The functioning of FR-ALERT

Through mobile telephony, the FR-Alert system allowsinform about the nature and location of a danger or threat and to indicate the actions and behaviors to adopt To protect themselves from these dangers or reduce exposure to the effects of these threats as much as possible.

How does FR-Alert work ?
THE notifications can transmit information on :

• the nature of the risk (a fire, a flood, an industrial accident, etc.);
• the authority that disseminates the alert;
• the location of the danger (establishment, district, commune, agglomeration, department. );
• the attitude to adopt (stay at home, evacuate the area …);
• If necessary, a link to obtain additional information on an official website.

In addition to the alert notification, Additional information relating to the evolution of the situation is disseminated by the same channel in the same geographic area : details on the nature of the danger, the geographic area concerned, on the behaviors to be adopted ..

The end of the alert is also the subject of sending a notification.

The types of notified events

The alert notification includes the information to know:

• The nature of the event in progress or imminent and therefore of the danger that it represents or that it is likely to represent;
• the place or the geographic area where this danger manifests itself, or is likely to manifest itself;
• Safety instructions and advice to protect yourself in the face of this danger (shelter, evacuation, etc.);
• if applicable, A link to an official website To have additional information.

Upon receipt of the alert, it is therefore necessary to learn about all of this information and to implement the actions and behaviors indicated in order to protect yourself and reduce the risk of exposure to danger.

No registration or application

FR-ALERT is designed to alert anyone present in the alert area, via Telecommunications networks.

It is therefore not necessary to register beforehand to receive alerts, no matter where you are in and the mobile phone you use.

For the same reasons, there is no need to download a mobile application.

Distribution technologies, location data.

Find more information on the website of the Ministry of the Interior