Americans watching television or listening to radio on 17 November 2026 will experience a brief interruption as federal authorities test the country's emergency warning system.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), working with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct the nationwide exercise at approximately 2.20pm Eastern Time. Unlike the previous nationwide test, however, mobile phones will not receive an alert as part of the exercise.
The test will focus on the Emergency Alert System (EAS), which delivers warnings through television, radio, cable and satellite services. FEMA has confirmed that Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), which send notifications to compatible mobile phones, will not be included.
According to FEMA's official announcement, the interruption is expected to last approximately one minute. The message will identify the exercise as a test, and the public will not need to take any action.
Why Your Phone Won't Receive FEMA's Emergency Alert
Mobile phones will not receive a nationwide test alert because FEMA is testing the broadcast warning system, not the system used to deliver wireless emergency notifications.
During the previous nationwide test on 4 October 2023, federal authorities tested both systems simultaneously. Television and radio stations carried EAS messages, while compatible mobile phones received WEA notifications.
This year's exercise will focus exclusively on the EAS. FEMA explained in its September announcement that wireless alerts had already been tested in 2023. The agency now wants to assess how broadcasters and other communications providers receive and retransmit national emergency warnings.
However, this does not mean wireless emergency warnings will be disabled on 17 November. The WEA system will remain available for genuine emergencies, including severe weather and other public safety threats. A separate emergency could still trigger a phone notification.
What Will Happen to Your TV and Radio on November 17?
At approximately 2.20pm Eastern Time, television and radio broadcasters across the United States will briefly interrupt regular programming to relay FEMA's test message. Cable systems, satellite television and radio providers, and wireline video services will also participate.
Viewers may see on-screen text, hear an announcement or receive both, depending on their provider. The test message will be available in English and Spanish, although broadcasters may use either language or both.
The official test message refers to a period between 2.20pm and 2.50pm Eastern Time. However, this does not mean programming will be interrupted for 30 minutes. FEMA expects the actual interruption to last about one minute, after which normal broadcasts will resume.
The agencies have also designated 3 December 2026 as a backup date. If severe weather or another significant emergency prevents the November exercise, the test may be postponed.
Why FEMA Is Testing America's Emergency Warning Network
The Emergency Alert System allows federal authorities to communicate urgent information nationwide during a major emergency. It also provides a means for the president to address the public when national safety is threatened.
Under the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015, FEMA must conduct nationwide tests of public warning capabilities at least once every three years. These exercises help identify technical weaknesses before the system is needed during an actual emergency.
Previous results suggest improvements. According to the FCC's analysis of the October 2023 test, 96.6% of participating organisations successfully received the message, compared with 89.3% in 2021. The successful retransmission rate also increased from 87.1% to 93.6%.
However, the FCC identified continuing problems. Approximately 23% of EAS equipment units were running outdated software or using equipment that no longer received regular updates. Configuration problems and equipment failures also remained concerns despite improvements in overall performance.
What Happens if the Emergency Alert System Fails?
The November exercise will help FEMA and the FCC assess whether participating broadcasters can reliably receive and retransmit national emergency messages. It may also reveal equipment failures, configuration errors or other problems requiring attention.
FEMA plans to distribute the test primarily through its internet-based Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS).
Traditional over-the-air EAS monitoring provides another route for participating stations to receive alerts. This adds redundancy if one delivery method encounters problems. The arrangements were outlined in an October briefing summarised by the Society of Broadcast Engineers.
However, multiple distribution routes do not guarantee that every broadcaster will receive a warning. Equipment failures, connection problems or incorrect settings could still prevent individual stations from relaying a message.
The results will help federal authorities identify where improvements are needed. A successful exercise would demonstrate that the system can perform under test conditions, but it would not guarantee flawless operation during a real disaster.
For Americans watching television or listening to radio on 17 November, the immediate impact should be a brief interruption. Their phones will not receive a notification from the nationwide test. That silence is intentional and does not affect the availability of wireless alerts during genuine emergencies.
