Digital phone service

[bueller555]

I converted to Oceanic's digital phone service. Here's something that I've been thinking about: if I connect a UPS to the cable modem, assuming that a power outage is localized to my neighborhood, would I still be able to have phone service? Or are there other things like switches and relays outside of my home that might also be affected? I just wanted to know if it's worthwhile to connect the UPS to the modem? Thanks.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Digital phone service

There are amplifiers and stuff in the area that need power to work. I don't know to what extent that Oceanic provides backup power for them, but I wouldn't count on it for a power outage that lasts for a long time. (For that matter your UPS will have a limited run time, even with a very light load.) For working in a power failure, nothing outlasts POTS.

[Nords]

Re: Digital phone service

I converted to Oceanic's digital phone service. Here's something that I've been thinking about: if I connect a UPS to the cable modem, assuming that a power outage is localized to my neighborhood, would I still be able to have phone service? Or are there other things like switches and relays outside of my home that might also be affected? I just wanted to know if it's worthwhile to connect the UPS to the modem? Thanks.

How long do you expect your UPS to last when the power goes out? Its main purpose is to keep voltage/current fluctuations from destroying the modem's electronics or to give it a graceful shutdown.

Maybe in the long term it would be better to connect the modem to a generator or an inverter, but that might be #19 on your list of things to do after the hurricane floods out Oceanic's cable system. You'd probably have better luck with cell phone texting.

[mel]

Re: Digital phone service

My 24 year old analog phone connected to the standard phone line always works even when the power is out. Proved its worth on the day we had that big earthquake two years ago. Cell phones out but old fashioned landline just worked. So despite Hawaiian Telcom chapter 11, I am sticking with my good old landline for now. I'm not a fan of Time Warner/Oceanic.... until they give us ala carte TV. Until then, analog rules!

[Nords]

Re: Digital phone service

Cell phones out but old fashioned landline just worked.

Were any Oahu cell networks functioning after the earthquake? I've heard that some have diesel-generator backups for a short time.

I've also heard that while cell phone voice service may be overloaded or even down, texting still works. Did anyone have any luck with texting after the earthquake?

I'm not a fan of Time Warner/Oceanic.... until they give us ala carte TV. Until then, analog rules!

Yeah, I'm holding my breath too...

[Composite 2992]

Re: Digital phone service

Friends who were on DSL had service after the earthquake. But all the cable modems were out.

Back when Kahena Street got wiped out in the heavy rains of New Years Eve 1987, power was out but the phones still worked. That was a powerful statement for the reliability of Hawaiian Telephone and GTE.

I might just switch to DSL after the Hawaiian Telecom mess gets straightened out.

BTW, for the longest time HawTelcom insisted I needed phone service in order to get DSL. I told them that they should unbundle it since cell phones are becoming the standard, and many are dropping their line services.

Only now are they starting to do that. Sometimes these businesses don't think too far ahead.

[Konaguy]

Re: Digital phone service

BTW, for the longest time HawTelcom insisted I needed phone service in order to get DSL. I told them that they should unbundle it since cell phones are becoming the standard, and many are dropping their line services.

Only now are they starting to do that. Sometimes these businesses don't think too far ahead.

I believe is been about year and half since Hawaiian Telcom started offering "dry DSL" service. It is only 5.00 more than the standard DSL tier price.

[Serenity]

Re: Digital phone service

Regarding: This is what we signed up for:

Just making an observation...

That its a good "unlimited long distance" offer, mind you, but the extreme downside to this, is; once you have power outages, you should better have a cell phone handy!!, because relying on your land line to call out for "emergency", well, you'll be out of luck with your land line, & hope that you have a cell phne as a back up to call out!!.

Thats the only thing I TRULLY HATE about the oceanic digital phone sysem .

I hope & wish they FRGN update & upgrade themselves, & have the land line working during a power outages, otherwise, those who are much older & don't have a cell phone, I dont think they will EVER plan on switching to oceanic in the near future!!.

I'm just glad my hubby & I have cell phone as a back communication & also a cell phone to call out if an emergency arises.

Sure, it must be great to beable to keep your land line number if you do move & relocate else where in the island or in the islands, thats another plus for oceanic .

I sure hope that the older people who dont have cell phone to NOT switch over to oceanic until indefinate,&/or unless the oceanic upgrades themselves, then MAYBE, for the older people MIGHT decide to switch over.

[tutusue]

Re: Digital phone service

[...]because relying on your land line to call out for "emergency", well, you'll be out of luck with your land line, & hope that you have a cell phne as a back up to call out!!. [...]
I'm just glad my hubby & I have cell phone as a back communication & also a cell phone to call out if an emergency arises.
[...]

I'm an older person with a cell phone. It did NOT work during this recent power outage. After the 2006 earthquake, my HawTel LAND line did work as did my cell.

[anapuni808]

Re: Digital phone service

another "older person" checking in - I had cell service last nite with no problems. I went to sleep early cause I didn't want to use up all my candles & flashlight batteries so I don't know how long the service stayed on. My service is with AT&T. I guess we got really lucky in Makiki because when I got up this morning a bit before 7am, the power was back on. My sympathy to all who lost food etc. due to the power outage - it's a real mess. Happened to me after the earthquake in 2006.

[Serenity]

Re: Digital phone service

I'm an older person with a cell phone. It did NOT work during this recent power outage. After the 2006 earthquake, my HawTel LAND line did work as did my cell.

OMG !!. I'm sorry to hear that .

I think its because everyone's cell phone lines were all being used & ended up being jamed up. Part of the time, my cell phone was also jamed up & that I couldn't get through half the the time.

So, I just texted to people that I know/knew.

[Serenity]

Re: Digital phone service

another "older person" checking in - I had cell service last nite with no problems. I went to sleep early cause I didn't want to use up all my candles & flashlight batteries so I don't know how long the service stayed on. My service is with AT&T. I guess we got really lucky in Makiki because when I got up this morning a bit before 7am, the power was back on. My sympathy to all who lost food etc. due to the power outage - it's a real mess. Happened to me after the earthquake in 2006.

you were so lucky that your cell phone worked.

I was so mad part of the time that mine didnt work. I went to bed late, due to the stress of the power outages.

I'm sorry for your loss in the mess you got in 2006 .

[anapuni808]

Re: Digital phone service

thanks but so many other folks a lot more than just groceries after the earthquake. my loss was minimal compared to others.

as for stress during the power outage - I just looked at it as a way to catch up on my sleep. If it's something we have no control over - why stress about it?

I've been told that AT&T has a lot of cell towers here and maybe that's why we get such good coverage.

[tutusue]

Re: Digital phone service

[...]
as for stress during the power outage - I just looked at it as a way to catch up on my sleep. If it's something we have no control over - why stress about it?
[...]

So true! An adventure (due to it's length of time in Makaha) but not really a stressful one...except for those on the road Friday night! At least it wasn't the result of a hurricane or earthquake! I, too, just went to bed early which is something I should do even with power! Being inaccessible was a blessing in disguise!

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Digital phone service

Cell phone service during an outage is hit-or-miss regardless of the carrier.

Yes, the cell towers can overload to the point that it can't cover it's area.

But some towers have backup power, some don't. I know that Sprint was moving generators around during the outage. Once power came up, they'd move that generator to a site that still didn't have power.

So in the end, it all depends on what's happening to the cell towers around you.

POTS (HawaiianTel) is the most reliable wired carrier.

Wireless has it's own situation. Take a hurricane. If a POTS line is damaged, it may take days/weeks/months before it's repaired. Wireless will be repaired much quicker. The best is POTS and a cell phone that is allowed to roam to another local carrier.