Copper landline out due to power outage.

[ag62]

Once again (4-5 times in the last 2 years), my phone line was out for several hours due to power outage. I'm in the fairly new (16 year old) development with underground utilities.  Verizon is telling me that the power is used to deliver the signal. I'm confused. The only reason I kept my 1st line as landline because it shouldn't lose power. If I can't rely on copper line,  I don't see any reason to keep it.

If the issue is related to some central hub, would FIOS still be available since it has a backup device or it would be subject to same outage.

 Many of my neighbors converted to FIOS. I suspect that this issue was introduced when FIOS became available in our area. I have been in this house for 15 years and  I don't remember having such issues before.

Anyone with technical knowledge, can explain how Verizon carries the signal to substation and then to homes in development?

Frustrated Verizon customer.

[BoBraxton1]

We have been on copper up until Thursday. Now we have FiOS (most of Thursday to do the installation) and incoming phone calls are failing (no ring on any equipment fastened, same as always but behavior very different). Virginia.

[smith6612]

POTS service should never go out during a power outage unless something is going on that physically damaged the plant or a natural disaster is preventing Verizon techs from getting out to perform service to keep things on-line. What the issue might be all depends on the network where you are at. FiOS is driven mainly by Battery Backup power in the ONT, and relying on the CO to have power (via Diesel Generators, generally) to run the equipment for as long as possible. With Copper POTS service, if you are coming out of a CO, there should be no excuse as to why your service fails during a power outage as the CO should have battery backups and backup generators to cover everything for at least several hours. If your telephone service is coming out of a remote however, it is still reliant on the CO to remain powered up, but be aware that the remotes can only operate off of Battery Power. The remotes via battery power based on load should be able to run anywhere between 8 hours to an entire day without power, though for extended outages they require power via generator.

So I'm really just guessing what could be going on, but if it is for example, an issue with battery backups on a remote or the CO, get someone in Verizon to send a tech out to look at the remote to make sure it's backup power supplies are functional and are in good shape. It's technically a requirement that the backup equipment is inspected regularly.

[ag62]

Smith6612

Thank you for your response. That is my understanding as well. There should be no reason why POTS line lost power immediately after power failure. I will escalate this issue with Verizon.

[lamomma]

OK, my landline was good for about 8 hours after I lost power yesterday. That's not good enough! The main reason we still have a landline phone is that in a power failure emergency, the phone should always work. Landline phones were designed to draw power from the phone line, now I have a Verizon phone that fails when the battery in the switchbox runs out of power. Why change a basic phone design that was in place for over 60 years? I am now questioning whether I need a landline phone, or why I would want to continue Verizon service.    

[ag62]

Mine went out immediately again. I'm just about had it with Verizon. I  don't see any reason to keep the landline anymore.

[levets]

I was told THEY don't want the customer to use copper landlines and we should move to FIOS or Cable Voice.

Read my situation on the "verizon service???"  message

[smith6612]

You don't pay taxes on your phone line for no reason. If Verizon will not repair the backup power on the POTS equipment in your area, contact the PUC for your area and ask them to get Verizon to repair that. Batteries don't last forever, and Remote Terminals are exposed to the elements day in and day out, so they do take a beating as well. COs should never be going out like that due to the nature of a CO.

Yes, Verizon does technically want to retire the copper network. It's bound to happen. FiOS does have it's own backup power on your side of things, which you can extend with little cost if you have a generator around (ONT uses almost nothing) or with a typical UPS. The only other component it relies on is the CO being online.

[AGiorgianni]

Hello Iamomma

I'm a Consumer Reports reporter writing a story about the concern you expressed. I'd like to interview you - or anyone else concerned about this problem. Please contact me at gioran@consumer.org.

Thanks you.

Anthony Giorgianni

Consumer Reports

914-378-2528