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I don't have phone, but the TV says I need to replace battery backup for phone?!?!?!

Hello,

For three years, we've had Verizon Fios Internet and TV. We've never had a phone.

Today, the contraption Verizon plugged in the wall (sadly, I'm not really sure what it is, and had forgotten it existed until today as it's tucked behind some furniture) started beeping and the replace battery indicator light is on. Furthermore, when I turn on TV, I am greeted with this message:

My questions are:

(1) If I don't have phone service, why would I even have a battery backup (much less need to replace it) to allow phone service during power outages?

(2) Since I have only internet and TV, can I safely go without replacing this battery?

(3) If the answer to #2 is yes, then how do I get the thing in the wall to stop beeping every 30 minutes?

Thank you in advance to any responses.

Comments

Anti-Phish1

1) The battery backup unit (BBU) provides power for TV and internet for upto 5 minutes. It helps to ride out small power glitches but is of no use for internet and TV in the event of a longer power failure.

2) Yes, but understand that a small power glitch can cause the ONT to reboot which will take you out of service for one minute or more (i.e. longer than the power glitch). Keep in mind that if your router is not on an UPS, that will also reboot due to a power glitch.

3) Disconnect the battery.

Danny_S1

Thank you!

David1232

You can unplug the battery in your optical network terminal (ONT) and the message needing to replace the battery will go away. Verizon customer service did confirm the battery is only for phone service when power is off.

I was only able to find 3 links on the alarm / battery backup. It looks like they never thought about people who did not want the phone feature and to silence the beeping with the battery removed?

I don't know how frequently my unit beeps, but I don't normally hear it because it is in my garage. I don't know if it has a pattern to when it beeps; but when I'm in the garage, I sometimes hear a single loud beep for about 1 second.

I imagine the battery must enable the laser to function when the power is off besides supply power to the copper phone lines in your house for a line powered phone. I would assume then that if one had a UPS to power the computer and router and a good battery in the BBU; then one could have an internet when the power is off too? Verizon user manuals don't mention this, so it might not work?

Links on the audio alarm of the BBU (battery backup unit): http://www.verizon.com/support/residential/internet/fiosinternet/general+support/getting+started/questionsone/121590.htm

http://www.verizon.com/Support/Residential/tv/fiostv/general+support/new+to+fios+tv/questionsone/121498.htm

http://www.verizon.com/support/smallbusiness/internet/fiosinternet/general+support/getting+started/questionsone/121592.htm

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