Why am I not getting Amber and Emergency Alerts?

[iMore Question]

I don't have my phone on do not disturb or anything. Even though my Alerts are on, I have never gotten a notification -- even when others in my area have.

 

[kch50428]

Do you use the same service provider as people who get the alerts? Not all providers are able to deliver the alerts in all areas they serve yet.

 

[anon(9343851)]

As a side note, also: AMBER and Emergency alerts go right through DND. They do not ignore the Mute switch, however.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Amber alerts are regional. One might go out 300 miles away, but you won't get it. I have yet to get any of those.

 

[Bigeric23]

Amber alerts are regional. One might go out 300 miles away, but you won't get it. I have yet to get any of those.

I've never received any either, and I live in an urban area.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I've never received any either, and I live in an urban area.

Fortunately, Amber alerts are fairly rare. The Emergency alerts are governmental I think. Like if we're under attack or martial law. So we don't hear those either. 🏼

 

[jmecca09]

I could be wrong on this, but I think Amber alerts are currently tied to your phone number. I have a VA phone number and I recently moved to WA. A few weeks ago, I got an Amber alert on my work phone with a WA number. Both my personal and work phones were on my desk at work, but my personal phone (the one with the VA number), did not get the alert. Both phones are iPhone 6 on the same carrier.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Both Amber and Emergency Alerts are ON but I don't get them. Why not?

I could be wrong on this, but I think Amber alerts are currently tied to your phone number. I have a VA phone number and I recently moved to WA. A few weeks ago, I got an Amber alert on my work phone with a WA number. Both my personal and work phones were on my desk at work, but my personal phone (the one with the VA number), did not get the alert. Both phones are iPhone 6 on the same carrier.

You're probably right. They have to determine your area or region some way.

 

[kch50428]

The way I understand how the system is supposed to work is that every phone on any cell tower within the geographic area the alert is supposed to cover is supposed to get the alert...

 

[jmecca09]

I would have thought that too until I had my scenario that I mentioned above happen.

 

[Not Quite Right]

You should get most of your questions answered here : Wireless Emergency Alerts

FWIW I received Amber Alerts way more while using Android phones than iPhones. No idea why ...

 

[Ledsteplin]

You should get most of your questions answered here : Wireless Emergency Alerts

FWIW I received Amber Alerts way more while using Android phones than iPhones. No idea why ...

Do you know for sure Amber Alerts went out for your area but did not alert on your iPhone?

 

[Not Quite Right]

Do you know for sure Amber Alerts went out for your area but did not alert on your iPhone?

Yes ... two ways.
#1 you're in a area with multiple people, their Android phone are going off and the folks with iPhones are getting nothing ...
#2 All though iPhones are and have been my primary phone since their release, I dabble with Android phones and products to fulfill the tech-geek in me. Now in the limited amounts of time I use these phones I've experienced quite a few Alerts.
I have been on two carriers (at&t, T-Mobile), and I live in Seattle, so there's no rhyme or reason to any of this ...

 

[Ledsteplin]

Yes ... two ways.
#1 you're in a area with multiple people, their Android phone are going off and the folks with iPhones are getting nothing ...
#2 All though iPhones are and have been my primary phone since their release, I dabble with Android phones and products to fulfill the tech-geek in me. Now in the limited amounts of time I use these phones I've experienced quite a few Alerts.
I have been on two carriers (at&t, T-Mobile), and I live in Seattle, so there's no rhyme or reason to any of this ...

Gotcha! I've never had my Amber Alert go off. But then, I don't recall there being one for my area since iOS 7 started.

 

[Not Quite Right]

I just don't get them for whatever reason ...
The last one I received happened while steaming music in my car, talk about 110 DB scare that had me cursing the Amber Alert System for weeks!!!

 

[Bulletproof7]

MY PHONE IS NEAR MY HUSBAND'S PHONE. WE BOTH HAVE THE SAME AREA CODE (617) AND BOTH HAVE T-MOBILE AS OUR CARRIER. ALTHOUGH MY AMBER AND EMERGENCY ALERTS IN MY SETTINGS ARE ON, I DO NOT GET AMBER ALERTS BUT MY HUSBAND DOES. HIS PHONE WAS WITHIN A FEW FEET FROM MINE AND HIS ALERTS GOING OFF LIKE CRAZY WHILE MINE STAYED SILENT. Two or three times his went off! Why did mine not go off???? I have iPhone 7 and he has the Galaxy S4....HELP!

 

[joemd60]

My Amber alerts are also activated. And I am in the same boat, I have yet to receive alerts.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Amber alerts are tied to the number. Are both numbers assigned to the same County/area? You might check with your carrier.

 

[Kilwillie]

Amber alerts are tied to the number. Are both numbers assigned to the same County/area? You might check with your carrier.

As far as I know, it's supposed to depend on the tower you're connected to at the time, not where your number is from. Makes sense since most people don't bother to change numbers when they move to another state anymore.

 

[Annie_M]

I only get the ones that come in the middle of the night! Seriously, I get them but very sporadically