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no dial tone when internet is out???

isnt there some sort of legal concern given the fact if i needed to make a 911 call during this time im basically S.O.L.??

i have the Fios TV and Internet package but my phone isnt the digital package, i have the basic old rj45 service, yet its clearly effected by the internet cause my internet was out for a few minutes earlier tonight, i was going to call verizon about this and there was no dial tone at all

my tv service was still fine and the guide was working, so clearly only certain channels of your IP distributing service was effected, but the phone is almost 99% effected when internet goes out.

this also happened about a month ago and it seemed to go on for hours, it was very late at night so i eventually just went to bed, but still what is Verizons LEGAL stance on this situation?

Comments

tns

If you don't have Fios Digital Voice, the phone service will normally work even if the internet is out. Of course it fails if all Fios service is out to your location.

lasagna

Phone service is always just "basic RJ45" service ... that's the way phone service is delivered regardless of if you are a FiOS user or not. What you need to determine is if you are standard phone service (FTTP) or Digital Voice service. Both are delivered in exactly the same manner thru the ONT, but are subject to different tariffs and requirements (and as a result cost substantially different amounts monthly).

The standard phone service -- delivered via fiber, but route through your home on the regular phone lines -- is subject to the 8 hour battery backup and will work as long as their isn't a fiber cut (same analogy in the old copper days that it will work as long as there isn't a wire down).

Digital Voice services -- is delivered via a voice over IP service using the Internet portion of your FiOS service -- and is subject to an outage if the internet portion of the service goes down. Since the internet is not subject to the 8-hour battery backup, a power outage will take this service out immediately. This is disclosed as a condition of Digital Voice service. Individuals with this service are encouraged to have an alternate source of phone service for use during outages (cell phone) and can configure the service to route calls automatically to this number when the internet fails.

You can test which service type you have try finding your ONT battery backup unit. Unplug it. Then, go check your phone. Do you still have dialtone? If so, then you have standard service. If not, you have Digital Voice. Plug your ONT back in again.

If you have Digital Voice, but want standard service, you'll need to call Verizon and ask that they switch you from Digital Voice to standard service. Be prepared to pay more monthly as standard service brings along with it numerous taxes and other regulated fees -- and if you're in a bundle package, check the terms carefully because it may stipulate that you use Digital Voice as your service as a condition of receiving the bundle price.

tns

@lasagna wrote:
...
Digital Voice services -- is delivered via a voice over IP service using the Internet portion of your FiOS service -- and is subject to an outage if the internet portion of the service goes down. Since the internet is not subject to the 8-hour battery backup, a power outage will take this service out immediately. This is disclosed as a condition of Digital Voice service. Individuals with this service are encouraged to have an alternate source of phone service for use during outages (cell phone) and can configure the service to route calls automatically to this number when the internet fails.
You can test which service type you have try finding your ONT battery backup unit. Unplug it. Then, go check your phone. Do you still have dialtone? If so, then you have standard service. If not, you have Digital Voice. Plug your ONT back in again.
If....

Not sure if its true but Verizon says in FAQ https://www36.verizon.com/FiOSVoice/FAQ.aspx

Q: If I lose power or have a broadband outage, will I still be able to use FiOS Digital Voice?

A: In the case of an electrical outage, your FiOS Digital Voice service will continue to operate on battery power for up to 8 hours. If electricity has not returned by that time, and your battery has exhausted, it will not be possible to make or receive calls using FiOS Digital Voice,including emergency calls to 911 and your alarm system will not be able to call out.

Note that basic internet service does not work on battery. I haven't done a test as lasagna suggest. If it works as he posted this statement from Verizon FIOS is obviously wrong.

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