The University tested its emergency alert system, LoboAlerts, on Monday, but students said they were confused by the multiple texts and e-mails they received about the test.
Student Brandon See said he received the first text message three times saying that the alert was just a test. He said he then he got an “all clear” text from another number.
“I was confused,” he said. “Why are they sending me the same message three times? I like what they’re doing. It’s a great system, but do I have to be warned six times?”
University Emergency Manager Byron Piatt said in an e-mail that LoboAlerts intended to send two texts and one e-mail, and that excess alerts were sent accidentally.
“There may have been some accidental duplication of messages, but it gives us confidence that we can send out multiple messages, including updates, in the future,” he said.
LoboAlerts system replaced TextMe UNM, which had about 9,000 registered recipients in September 2010. LoboAlerts is an opt-out as opposed to opt-in system, but recipients can opt-out only from the text message alerts, not the e-mail alerts.
On the first day LoboAlerts was activated, about 50,000 people were signed up for the alerts.
Text messages, on average, are sent 10 times faster than e-mails, Piatt said. He said the delivery time depends on phone model and provider, the phone’s location and signal. He said those factors can affect how many messages are sent to phones.
“There’s a lot of different variables as to why you may have gotten more (text messages) than someone else,” Piatt said. “Theoretically, everyone should have gotten the same number.”
Piatt said he receives varying responses from students and UNM members when LoboAlerts tests the emergency notification system.
“We get people who are happy we are doing the tests and sending alerts,” he said. “Some people call in saying that they aren’t affiliated with UNM. Some people get new cell phone numbers and don’t update their information with UNM.”
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