IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR CUSTOMERS WITH VOICE SERVICE SERVED BY FIBER OR CABLE MODEM
Backup Power for Residential Fiber Optic Voice Telephone Services During Power Outages:
For many years, your landline telephone would allow you to stay connected to emergency voice services during a power outage. However, if your residential voice telephone service is provided using fiber optics, fixed wireless, or coaxial cable, rather than the traditional twisted pair copper-based line, the residential voice telephone service requires backup battery power to continue functioning during a power outage. To avoid a disruption of home voice service during a power outage, and to maintain the ability to connect to 911 emergency services, Citizens offers an 8-hour power battery backup for purchase for your residential fiber optic or cable modem (VoIP) VOICE service. Citizens will install a backup battery at no additional cost if purchased at the time of service installation. Standard install fees apply if the battery backup unit is purchased after the initial install date. Additional stackable backup batteries can be purchased ($49.95) at any time for self-installation. To place your order to pick up an additional backup battery unit at our office located at 220 Webbs Mill Road in Floyd, call 540.745.2111 or 276.637.6485.
What Your Battery Can - and Can’t - Do for You: The backup battery for fiber optic and cable modem (VoIP) voice service allows you to continue to use your telephone service during a power outage. Without a backup battery or alternate backup power source such as a generator, customers with fiber, fixed wireless, or coaxial cable delivered services will not be able to make calls, including emergency calls to 911. The only way to maintain the ability to use your voice service is by using some form of backup power.
Inability To Use Cordless Phones and Other Devices During A Power Outage:
If you have a cordless phone, it will not work during a power outage as your cordless phone requires power from an external power source like an electric outlet in your home. To use your cordless phone you would need to power the cordless phone with a backup generator or UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply). To use your Citizens’ Voice service during power outages, we suggest that you keep a corded phone on hand. Corded phones, unlike cordless phones, do not need a separate power source to operate.
Citizens’ backup battery only provides power to Citizens’ VoIP voice services. Devices that rely on voice services, such as home security systems, medical monitoring devices, TTY devices, and other equipment may be disrupted if there is an electrical power outage unless those devices are powered by an alternate power source such as a generator or UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply). These alternate power sources are available from third-party retail vendors. Citizens' battery backup is not intended for Internet WiFi, third-party VoIP, or other Internet applications.
Expected Backup Battery Power Duration: The backup battery unit is expected to last up to 8 hours on standby power. The backup battery should give you approximately 4 to 6 hours of talk time. If you require a backup battery with a longer standby and talk time, please contact us. We offer batteries for purchase with up to a 24-hour standby time.
Instructions for Proper Care and Use of Your Backup Battery: Please follow the more detailed instructions included with your battery for proper use, storage, and care of your battery to ensure that it will function as needed during a power outage. If you do not store your battery correctly, it may shorten its useful life. Environmental factors such as temperature can shorten your battery’s useful life. The battery for Citizens’ fiber optic voice service is designed to be operated in temperatures above -40°F and below 131°F. Citizens’ backup batteries for fiber are rechargeable and have an estimated useful life span of 6-10 years. The battery for Citizens’ cable modem voice service is designed to be operated in temperatures above 32°F and below 122°F. Citizens’ cable modem backup batteries are rechargeable and have an estimated useful life span of 3-5 years. Should you experience any problems with your Citizens’ voice service during a power outage of fewer than 8 hours, please promptly notify us. If you have any questions, please call 540.745.2111 or 276.637.6485, or email customercare@citizens.coop.