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No dial tone during a power cut

Anglo
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎16-08-2018

No dial tone during a power cut

Many moons ago, when I worked for Post Office Telephones, DC power was supplied down the wires so that a standard wired phone could work even if you had a power cut.  I have also seen helpful hints that say you should have a standard phone handy as any DECT phones will be useless in a power cut.

So last Friday when the power was off for near enough 12 hours I dug out an old phone and plugged it in but there was no dial tone.  Now the power is back on it works ok.  I wonder if the wiring for VDSL (fibre broadband) effects this?

My primary concern is for a number of aged Veterans in our British Legion Branch who have emergency call buttons and I worry that they may be isolated during a power cut.

4 REPLIES 4
mpmc
Grafter
Posts: 47
Thanks: 7
Registered: ‎09-08-2018

Re: No dial tone during a power cut

I'm sure all cabinets have backup power, so your line should've worked! Hopefully plus.net will be able to ask Openreach to see what's going on. Smiley

198kHz
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 5,730
Thanks: 2,773
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Registered: ‎30-07-2008

Re: No dial tone during a power cut


@Anglo wrote:

Many moons ago, when I worked for Post Office Telephones, DC power was supplied down the wires so that a standard wired phone could work even if you had a power cut.  I have also seen helpful hints that say you should have a standard phone handy as any DECT phones will be useless in a power cut.

 


Welcome to the forum.  Smiley

Quite a few moons since I left too, but what you say still holds.

VDSL shouldn't come into it, as you still have a continuous copper pair to the exchange for telephony. All exchanges, even the small rural ones, now have battery backup and a diesel generator. If the exchange was out of service for any length of time one would have thought it would have been reported in the local media.

All of which means that your lack of dial tone is somewhat mysterious. Did you perchance try the master test socket behind the faceplate?

Murphy was an optimist
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Alex
Community Veteran
Posts: 5,500
Thanks: 921
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: No dial tone during a power cut

I can't remember where I read it, but I've seen it twice where I am sure the cabs do. I believe they have a battery backup, which is only short term.

I am not sure how long a phone line will last without cabinet power though - 12 hours seems long.

Could have been running on battery within that time.

Mustrum
Community Veteran
Posts: 3,554
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Registered: ‎13-08-2015

Re: No dial tone during a power cut

@Alex look at the response above.

The VDSL cabinet is battery is for the VDSL signal, not dial tone which comes from the exchange.