Replacing copper phone lines with fibre optics. A problem.

[papasmurf]

I nearly fell down with shock, My (Tory) MP has got on the case and this is his response I just got by email:-

Thank you for your email.  I agree that, despite the many advantages of transferring the phone network to digital, the problem of how services will work in a power outage is a very real one.
 
Landline providers are responsible for additional protections to ensure customers can reach emergency services.  Ofcom has provided guidance which states that in the event of a power outage at least one solution must be available for consumers, providing access for a minimum of one hour. These are minimum standards, and in practice many providers are offering solutions which exceed them.
 
I have tabled a Parliamentary Question asking what progress is being made on providing solutions above and beyond the minimum stipulated by OfCom.
 
Kind regards,

 
Derek Thomas
Member of Parliament for West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (St Ives)

[papasmurf]

Here's a question, do you still have an old style wired phone in your house?  One with a cord to the handset.


Most people I know (and they may not be representative) don't.  

I do and when the copper cable is removed I will have to plug that into the router. (I already have the cable.)
The team putting in the fiber optics, have put a connection point, so that a later date when the copper is removed it will be fibre optics connected directly to my router.

[BeElBeeBub]

Openreach by December 31st, 2025.

Huh.  Crept up on me a bit.

from what I can see is Fiber to Cabinet services (were the last mile is still copper) will continue after the switch off.  It only applies to premises that have Fiber to premises connections. There is also a provision for it to be kept for vulnerable users who rely on specific equipment.

TBH I think you are getting worked up over not much.  As I said, battery backups exist, both built into the equipment and 3rd party.

Here's a question, do you still have an old style wired phone in your house?  One with a cord to the handset.

 
 Most people I know (and they may not be representative) don't.  They've moved to the "wireless" handsets.

If you don't have a phone like that then you are already vulnerable to power cuts and no worse off than now.

At the end of the day fiber is coming, it's better and more future proof.  the number of people who will complain if we stick with copper is far, far higher than the number who will complain if we switch.
 

[Streetwalker]

Satellite phone 

You can basically phone anyone you like anywhere in the world  to report your power cut 

[papasmurf]

But is anyone actually threatening to remove your copperline? I know it will happen eventually but not for a decade or more.

Openreach by December 31st, 2025.

[BeElBeeBub]

Totally inadequate. I would need far longer back up time than that. That little amount of time would leave the area where I live VERY vulnerable in the case of fire, accident, medical emergency. We sometimes get power cuts of 6-8 hours.

I guess you d have to speak to whoever is installing the system then. There are various regulations about what happens in a power cut that the providers have to adhere to. 

Yes a copper line will allow voice calls in the event of a power cut but only if you have an old fashioned "wired" phone. Everything else dies without backup. Internet, wireless voice phones etc. We have a copper line and still need a battery backup otherwise all we can do in a power cut is call someone. No checking websites, no Netflix whilst we wait, no WhatsApp. Etc. 

But is anyone actually threatening to remove your copperline? I know it will happen eventually but not for a decade or more.

That said, if you are regularly experiencing 6hr+ blackouts I'd suggest your problems will extend further than simple comms loss.. Maybe invest in a whole house battery. 

[papasmurf]

IIRC *if* a utility were supplying you only with fiber and thus no power from the exchange (fun fact exchanges have 48v lead acid battery supplies to provide uninterrupted DC to the phones and some items have been signed to pirate this power to ru lights etc, a definite no no!) they would supply you with a battery backed up modem.

https://www.bt.com/help/landline/fibre-home-phone-service--questions-about-the-battery-back-up-un

Totally inadequate. I would need far longer back up time than that. That little amount of time would leave the area where I live VERY vulnerable in the case of fire, accident, medical emergency. We sometimes get power cuts of 6-8 hours.

[BeElBeeBub]

Where from? (Seriously.)

I have the big brother of this unit.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IG2P92I

Should give you a couple of hours, depending on how power hungry your load is (routers are typically 10w or so) 

The only bugger is it has a buzzer that announces it's activated. This is to warn you to save your work, shut down your computer etc. I disabled it with some blu tac. 

Then  there are the slightly dodgy ones like this for £16. Pro ably only run your router for a hour tops and might spy on you/burn your house down.

IIRC *if* a utility were supplying you only with fiber and thus no power from the exchange (fun fact exchanges have 48v lead acid battery supplies to provide uninterrupted DC to the phones and some items have been signed to pirate this power to ru lights etc, a definite no no!) they would supply you with a battery backed up modem. 

https://www.bt.com/help/landline/fibre-home-phone-service--questions-about-the-battery-back-up-un

[papasmurf]

£80 will get you 100wh and about 8 or 9 hours.

Where from? (Seriously.) 

[BeElBeeBub]

Which are expensive, or one's that will supply power for any length of time are.

Depends on your definition.
£30 will get you a.25wh unit that will keep the average router going for 2 hours.
£80 will get you 100wh and about 8 or 9 hours.

Should be long enough to call the power company. If it's longer than that, then you will ha e other issues like your heating, cooking etc.

As I said I have one, powering a modem and wireless router. We've had several. Power cuts over the years, upto a couple of hours and everything has ticked along fine.

[Streetwalker]

That is bloody stupid response. I will NOT have  smart meter due to the many problems with them, including they will not function in the area, due to the lack of signal for them to operate. (A common problem.)

The "phone in a power cut" issue was a major hurdle in the adoption of fiber only systems.

The solution is that the only bit that needs power is the modem. This can be supplied by a battery backup. I fact a source of cheap batteries for hobby makers has been old units.

Personally, altpigh I have a copper line and phone, I have my modem and router running off a battery powered UPS that cost about £30 from. Amazon

When we have a power cut, our comms remains functioning just fine.

There you go papa , maybe not such a stupid response after all . If you are going to refuse the latests technology like smart meters  you cant really complain when you find yourself unable to do something it would have done for you in the first place 

[papasmurf]

 This can be supplied by a battery backup.

Which are expensive, or one's that will supply power for any length of time are.

[BeElBeeBub]

The "phone in a power cut" issue was a major hurdle in the adoption of fiber only systems. 

The solution is that the only bit that needs power is the modem. This can be supplied by a battery backup. I fact a source of cheap batteries for hobby makers has been old units. 

Personally, altpigh I have a copper line and phone, I have my modem and router running off a battery powered UPS that cost about £30 from. Amazon

When we have a power cut, our comms remains functioning just fine. 

[papasmurf]

Your community needs a public spirited volunteer that will ride his motor cycle to the next village and report into the electricity provider

Other than that your smart meter would alert  the provider that the power was out

That is bloody stupid response. I will NOT have  smart meter due to the many problems with them, including they will not function in the area, due to the lack of signal for them to operate. (A common problem.)

[Streetwalker]

It is a serious issue. I am on the vulnerable customer list with the electricity supplier, also a high percentage of my neighbours are in the "waiting for God," category, with medical appliances that need electric power.

Your community needs a public spirited volunteer that will ride his motor cycle to the next village and report into the electricity provider 

Other than that your smart meter would alert  the provider that the power was out