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Comments

• [1] MCH from Brooklyn April 25, 2008 - 11:58AM

  I have Verizon and used an old princess wired phone during the blackout of '04. We were without power for 29 hours and for most of that time the phone did not work.

  
  
• [2] frank from nyc April 25, 2008 - 11:58AM

  no no no. Unless your cable modem is plugged into a UPS, it won't work!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  
  
• [3] Rob Wilkens from Levittown, NY April 25, 2008 - 12:01PM

  Reason that the wireless phones won't work during an outage is simple -- the base station (the set with the antenna which plugs into the line) which communicates the communication to the wireless handsets need power...

  Of course, if you have a U.P.S. (highly recommended) hooked up to your cable modem and you have the cordless base station hooked up near the cable modem (as that's where the line plugs in) then your wireless handsets "might" work while they are still charged during an outage (at least until the cable company's network loses it's power, which is, I'd guess, much later).

  
  
• [4] frank from nyc April 25, 2008 - 12:04PM

  The only communication method that worked without a hitch through 9/11 and the blackout of '03 (was it '04?) was wireless sms, better known as text messaging. phones were either out or crushed with traffic during those two events. Although email worked fine too.

  Per my comment above, if a piece of communication equipment like your cable modem/cablephone box is normally plugged in, it fails when the power goes out.

  (although my time warner phone box CAN come with a backup battery, that's NOT the model Time Warner installed last week at my house.)

  
  
• [5] Howard from Brooklyn April 25, 2008 - 12:08PM

  I had service on my old style copper wired Verizon Telephones throught the blackout many years ago. It worked well and reliably. When they talk about backup electricity they mean they will put in a battery backup unit in your home to provide your VOIP service electricity. Those battery backups will only last 4-6 hours at best and will not last 24 to 48 hours.

  
  
• [6] Leonard Camen from brooklyn, ny April 25, 2008 - 12:59PM

  FRANK is absolutely correct. The "expert" you had on today (4.25.08) was giving out incorect information.

  For VOIP (voic over internet) there are two methods. First is via computer, where you download software, and use headset to dial and talk. SKYPE is probably the most popular of these methods.

  The second method DOES NOT EVEN REQUIRE A COMPUTER.

  Your telephone is directly connected to the cable modem. You analog speech is converted to digital bits/bytes and sent thru internet. At the last stage the call has to pass through a GATEWAY, where it is again converted to analog at the level of the local Central Office owned by the local phone company.

  But in either case the modem must be powered. If there is a power failure and the modem is not powered by battery backup, either provided by your cable company OR plugged into a computer backup lead gel battery you will NOT have use of the telephone.

  Frank also makes a correct point about the use of cell phones. If there is a city wide or widespread outage like in N.E. Queens, the cell phone system will quickly be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of calls. Texting is better solution.

  Additionally, each cell transponder is backed up by battery. Should the outage last more than, say 36 hrs., the battery will be drained.

  PLEASE "FACT CHECK" with Cablevision, and or Time Warner.

  
  
• [7] Mike from NYC April 25, 2008 - 07:08PM

  I thought the expert you had on today was clear about the fact that voip service would be interrupted if power went out. My brother has voip and told me his service will not work without power.