The mobile telecommunications industry in Australia co-operated with the Victorian government and emergency services this week to assist in efforts to alert residents about possible threats to life and property.

Mobile telecommunications companies on Monday sent Victorians just under 5 million text messages advising of extreme weather forecasts and the heightened risk of bushfires.

AMTA Chief Executive, Chris Althaus, said the industry responded quickly to an urgent request from the Victorian government and emergency service authorities to meet an immediate and potentially very dangerous fire situation facing that State.

“We think it is important for the industry and relevant agencies sit down after the immediate threats of bushfires has passed to work through some of the major technical issues involved,” he said. “ This issue has to be tackled in a comprehensive and considered way and all the ramifications must be considered carefully when the emergency in Victoria has passed.

“For example, anxious residents calling triple-zero caused headaches for authorities, after receiving text messages warning of severe weather and bushfire danger.”

The Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA) which handles triple-zero calls was forced to release a plea to Victorians not to call the emergency number yesterday afternoon, after hundreds of callers mistakenly thought they faced an immediate threat. The Country Fire Authority said the community's need for extreme fire warnings must be balanced with the heightened risk of arson.

Authorities said sending out text messages to every mobile phone customer would not suffice as a national emergency warning system.

Nearly all Victorian mobile phone customers received the texts on Monday, warning them of the looming extreme fire and wind danger.

Feedback from the "electronic doorknock" to nearly 5 million mobile phone customers had been largely positive, Emergency Services commissioner Bruce Esplin said.

"The telecommunications carriers, Telstra (Optus, Vodafone and Hutchison 3 all participated), decided they would do that as a community service obligation because of the severe dangers that were predicted overnight," Mr Esplin said.

Premier John Brumby had already signalled that a telephone-warning system would be looked into as part of the royal commission into the bushfires