FiOS and battery backups [telecom]

Oct 29, 2012 2 Replies

I just received an email entitled "A message to Verizon customers affected by Hurricane Sandy". Since I have a DSL line, the email told me that my service would go out along with the power if the electric feeds go dark. No surprise there, of course, since my DSL modem uses AC, but I wonder if Verizon was warning me that /their/ equipment won't have power, i.e., if there's some intermediate vault that will be out of service without commercial power. The policy used to be that every node was backed up, but I don't know if that has changed.



It also warned FiOS customers that their Internet access would be cut off, since the battery back-ups in the FiOS ONT's only provide voice service. I'm wondering why that is so: how much of a "Delta" is there between an ONT that's providing a POTS jack vs. one that's providing Internet and/or TV?



Bill


More DLCs have a few hours of batteries at best. In theory, Verizontal will dispatch a small generator when needed, but in any big storm:

a) They do not have enough generators

b) They can't get to the DLC's.`

c) The generators get stolen as fast as they are deployed.

Quite a bit; it seems the TV modulators draw more than you'd think. It's easy to test, put an ammeter in series with the battery, and remove the AC line. TV/Internet will shut down in 5 minutes; measure the current before & after they do.

But even with just the phone, don't count on that wimpy battery lasting more than a few hours. My recommendation is to get a 75AH deep cycle battery from Wal-Mart & a few feet of #14 wire.

- - A host is a host from coast to snipped-for-privacy@nrk.com & no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433 is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

***** Moderator's Note *****

If the DLC's are going to go down anyway, having a 75AH battery on the ONT won't make much difference.

Bill Horne Moderator

Apples & Oranges

FIOS is totally passive outside plant. The only power needed is in the CO, and in your house. The splitters in the beige cabinets are prisms.

DLC's support POTS and maybe DSL at non-CO-based multiplexers {to use a term no Bell-head ever would...}. They need power.

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