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Digital Voice in a Power Outage

pencefn — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 17:53:00 GMT

We are getting Digital Voice in the next month of so.

So what happens during a power outage?

We have UPS to keep the equipment (broadband hub, cordless phones, etc) in the house working. A power outage will also result in the green box at the end of the road going off, so no connection.

BT say keep your mobile phone charged, but the power outage will also take out the mobile phone mast. We are also in a mobile grey (almost dead) spot, relying on Wifi Calling.

So has this been thought through. Loss of local substation will result in no communications, or am I missing something?

Re: Digital Voice in a Power Outage

jac_95 — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 17:57:39 GMT

Hi pencefn,

Thanks for the post and welcome to the Community.

This is an automated response as I can see you have a question about BT’s Digital Voice service. Rather than waiting for a response from the Community, you may find an answer to your question by using the search bar on the Community homepage. We also have a thread that contains a wealth of info related to BT’s Digital Voice, click this link to take a look, Digital Voice FAQs.

Got some questions or want to learn more about BT’s Digital Voice rollout? BT are running localised events as part of the regional rollout of Digital Voice - Click here to view the Digital Voice events

To learn more about the nationwide change to this Internet based voice service visit landlinesgo.digital

If you have already looked for the answer to your question and have not found anything that can help, then please ignore this message. One of our Community members will be along shortly to help you further.

Re: Digital Voice in a Power Outage

pencefn — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 18:02:46 GMT

Thank you Automatic Reply

I have already followed the FAQ, and this query is a result of not getting an answer from them.

Following the links to my local events, show that they are after my switch over.

The "lines go digital" is flagged as a malicious link.

Re: Digital Voice in a Power Outage

licquorice — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 18:29:32 GMT

If course it has been thought through and the risks assessed.

If you have a UPS, your hub will continue to work as will DV. If you have full fibre, the green cabinet is irrelevant, however, the cabinet has back up batteries if you have FTTC.

The whole subject has been discussed as nauseum.

Re: Digital Voice in a Power Outage

pencefn — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 18:32:24 GMT

Thank you. This has never been stated in the FAQ.

How long do the batteries in the cabinet last?

In days past the Telephone exchanges had banks (and banks) of lead acid batteries for the telephone circuit. I am guessing the exchanges now have back-up generation (or modern batteries) to power the fibre optics?

Re: Digital Voice in a Power Outage

licquorice — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 18:35:45 GMT

Exchanges had generators to maintain power supply.

In theory, the batteries in cabinets are replaced as depleted in long term power cuts. Practice may differ.

Re: Digital Voice in a Power Outage

gg30340 — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 21:02:30 GMT

Landline phone green boxes going down, mobile phone masts going down, local substation going down, are you expecting Armageddon!

Re: Digital Voice in a Power Outage

pddco — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 22:29:58 GMT

@pencefn

Given the distance light can travel down the fibre optic cable without regeneration, I would suggest that your local exchange, located as it was to support local copper based telephony services, may no longer be a part of the newly deployed fibre network. And the fibre could very well be routed to some other common building, perhaps many miles away from a local power outage. It’s all in the Network design.

Re: Digital Voice in a Power Outage

Anonymous — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 04:25:11 GMT

@pencefn

"How long do the batteries in the cabinet last?"

I was told once, (so long ago that I can't remember who by or where), that when new, the cabinet batteries are specc'd to power the cab equipment for up to 30 minutes in the event of a loss of the shore mains supply.

Re: Digital Voice in a Power Outage

pencefn — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 12:22:54 GMT

Having worked in the Electricity Supply Industry, a local sub station failing, or as has happened here in the past ten years a local grid supply cable failing.

Re: Digital Voice in a Power Outage

Tallica_bear — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 15:12:58 GMT

happened this past weekend in Northern Ireland for hundreds of thousands of customers.

Re: Digital Voice in a Power Outage

pddco — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 15:57:26 GMT

@Tallica_bear

Very true. But difficult to know if people have access to a mobile signal. Or indeed even if they have a PSTN landline how many have a corded phone to use it?
And, somewhat off topic, what about electric cars? Bit of an issue if you’re relying on home charging for your daily commute. Just goes to show how vulnerable and reliant we are on a secure and reliable electric supplies which are in the main open to the elements.