How will getting FIOS for TV and Internet affect my keeping non-FIOS telephone service?

[deltaskye]

We have frequent power outages during inclement weather (Arlington VA) and my neighbors say that during power outages their FIOS telephone service only runs for a couple hours off batteries. Since I rely on my home phone to run a business, I am considering keeping my existing Verizon land line set-up and switching to FIOS for TV and Internet only. (I currently have Comcast cable and Verizon DSL.) . Since my home is 85 years old and I've had the same phone service for 20 years, I assume I have copper wiring. At one point there were three separate active phone lines in the house (two for me, one for tenant); only one is in service now. Also, about 15 years ago Verizon updated some of the equipment attached to my home (the exterior box for example). I do use Verizon's voice mail instead of an answering machine.

My question is whether the installation of FIOS TV and Internet will in any way affect my existing telephone service, either during installation, or once the service is running. What should I anticipate and prepare for? Will the equipment/lines that support FIOS TV and Internet be completely separate from those that support my phone service inside and outside my home? Or will any of the equipment and lines overlap or serve multiple duty?

Thanks in advance!

[smith6612]

From what I know, when you order FiOS you need to specifically mention that you wish to keep the telephone service on Copper. You shouldn't need to give details as to why other than perhaps mentioning that you cannot rely on a battery backup to run the ONT. Other than that, phone service should not be interrupted when the FiOS installation occurs, but you never know. There have been some stories about Verizon pulling the copper on people who have had 3rd party DSL installations/lines and have had a heck of a time trying to get it working.

Anyhow, if Verizon does turn out pulling your copper telephone and putting you on phone via FiOS, plugging the ONT into a good quality UPS should be able to keep you having TV, Internet and Phone service for quite some time (depends on the UPS) before the battery backup for the ONT kicks in.