PressPass: What is .NET Alerts and how does it work? Payne: The .NET Alerts service delivers instant, on-screen notification of an event that someone considers important and that might require action. It"s a new technology, based on our .NET platform, that makes it easy for people to get personalized alerts at their request. It works by enabling a Web site to send simple XML messages to the .NET Alerts service. This service then intelligently routes the message to a person"s desktop computer, cell phone, mobile device or e-mail address, based on his or her preferences and presence