Will my home phone work on the nbn network during a power failure?
In most cases, no. Your nbn connection needs power; without it your phone won’t work - not even for 000 calls. But there are a couple of cases where your phone will work in a power failure:
If your phone’s still on the copper line
If you have nbn Fixed Wireless and you keep your home phone on the copper network, then it will still work in a power failure if your handset does not rely on mains power. For example, cordless phone handsets commonly reply on mains power, and would not work in the event of a power failure.
If you’ve got nbn FTTP and a battery back-up
If you have nbn Fibre to the Premises with a battery back-up AND a phone handset that doesn’t need power, your phone line will still work in a power failure for a limited period of time.
How long does battery back-up last?
If you have a battery back-up unit, this should provide you with power for approximately five hours.
During that time, you’ll be able to make and receive calls on a corded home phone connected directly to your nbn connection box.
Important:
Cordless phones need power and won’t work in a power failure regardless of your nbn connection.
We recommend you have a mobile phone available in case you need emergency help during a power failure.
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