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cybermush
08-06-2009, 10:40
Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone can confirm if all of VM broadband stuff is running on a battery backup.

In other words if I have my PC, router and cable modem here on a UPS would the broadband still work during a total powercut? I'm not bothered about TV, just the broadband side of things.

Many thanks!

Trevor.

AbyssUnderground
08-06-2009, 10:43
Last time we had an outage here, the broadband did keep working when my UPS's kicked in, and lasted the whole 45 minute outage. However, the outage was only a certain area and VM's equipment may not have been on the same power supply, so I can't confirm for definite if that is the case.

In the case of telephony, by health and safety laws there has to be a minimum 8 hour UPS supply I believe for emergency purposes. I could be mistaken though! Just what I have heard.

Zhadnost
08-06-2009, 10:44
I thought one of the reasons people wont get a cable telephone service is because they rarely have a battery backup.

ro53ben
08-06-2009, 10:51
I genuinely thought the OP was going to ask in his post "...and do they keep running out?"

My 50meg service kinda feels like that.

indie1982
08-06-2009, 10:53
I thought one of the reasons people wont get a cable telephone service is because they rarely have a battery backup.

The last two power outages I can remember my phone kept working, someone correct me if I'm wrong but the telephone side of cable essentially uses the same type of equipment BT use and telephone lines are powered from the exchange.

AbyssUnderground
08-06-2009, 10:56
The telephone side is run by VM not BT. It ends up at BT eventually but the kit outside is VM's and requires its own power. It does after all come over the coax cable.

Hugh
08-06-2009, 10:57
When I worked for Jones Cable/Bell CableMedia in the 90's, the Leeds site (where the switch and the head-end were) had a standby generator and UPS.

cybermush
08-06-2009, 10:57
Ha ha! No... I'm on a pathetic 1mb service and I'm looking to upgrade. It's an old Pace box a the moment, once I upgrade I'll get a separate cable modem so I was wondering if I should have this moved from the lounge into my office where I can add it to my UPS. There's not much point doing that if the boxes out in the street won't work during a power cut.

Trevor.

AbyssUnderground
08-06-2009, 11:01
Headends always have UPS's and generators but thats because they house the kit to distribute all around the country. That going down would cause a national outage! Kit going down in the street when the power to all the houses are out as well isn't much of an issue since its not likely most people will have a UPS and would want to keep on working :)

injuneer
08-06-2009, 11:02
On the telephone side of things there is battery backup in the street cabinets (unlike BT lines which get the power from the exchange), there have been instances though where the batteries in the cabinets were knackered & therefore gave out pretty quickly. They're supposed to be routinely changed.
The HFC network (TV & therefore Broadband) doesn't have battery backup in the cabinet. I think all switch sites, headends & hubs have battery & mains generator backup.

Maggy
08-06-2009, 11:33
Twice during a power cut all our services including the BB have been knocked out.Came back eventually but it took longer for the BB to return on both occasions.:erm:

smcaul
08-06-2009, 11:36
A few months ago the Electricity company was renewing overhead power lines on our estate, this meant they had to turn all the power off, which included power to a VM cabinet, within an hour of the power being off I saw an estate car with a generator in the back plugged into the cabinet giving it power, the same happened a week or so later but this time it was a VM van. So they seem to have backup plans for power failures (I suppose if they are longer periods).

Graham M
08-06-2009, 12:21
It does after all come over the coax cable.

:erm: Since when?

ro53ben
08-06-2009, 12:33
The phone line is a standard copper pair that runs in the same plastic sheath as the cable co-ax. They aren't on the same wire to the home, for sure.

AbyssUnderground
08-06-2009, 12:41
That's where I got confused then :) My mistake.

Nedkelly
08-06-2009, 20:24
In this area both the Tv and Telephone have battery back up .Because half of the node might have no power but the other half might :D

Impz2002
08-06-2009, 20:32
afaik the vm cabinets are connected to the street lighting circuits. Thats what i was told by vm when we had an outage once

jcw00
08-06-2009, 21:16
See post 6 in http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/33632791-does-broadband-go-down-during-power.html as I asked the same question and then found out the cabinets work for 3+ hours in a large power outage.