The new national mobile phone alarm system, NL-Alert, will get its first test next Monday, the justice ministry said on Tuesday.

The system, which works on cell broadcast and is not affected if telephone systems go down, sends messages about catastrophic events, saying where they are and what to do.

Monday’s message will state this is a test message.

People will be able to see if their telephone is properly installed to receive the message, said the ministry.

Currently, about half of mobile phones should be able to receive the message. iPhones in particular are still having trouble. The website nl-alert.nl gives information on how to set phones.

Since the alarm system was introduced last November, it has been used to send warnings of two major fires.

There will be subsequent test messages on May 6 and November 4.