Backup Power for Home Phone Service
Backup power is required for your home phone service to function during a power outage. When the home phone service is delivered over copper cable, Golden West uses backup power at its central offices to keep service functioning during a power outage.
However, when your home phone service is delivered over fiber optic cable, a battery backup unit is installed at your location to keep your home phone service functioning during a power outage. You would not be able to make any telephone calls, including emergency calls to 911, during a power outage without a battery backup unit.
Golden West provides and installs a battery backup unit at your location as part of your home phone service delivered over fiber optic cable. This battery backup unit is designed to provide 8 hours of backup power during a power outage.
What Your Battery Can and Can’t Do
The standard battery backup unit provides enough power to support a minimum of 8 hours of normal home phone service usage during a power outage. Extended or excessive use of the home phone service during a power outage will reduce available run time of the battery backup unit to less than 8 hours.
The battery backup unit will allow regular corded landline phones to work during a power outage and to maintain the ability to connect with 911 emergency services. When a power outage occurs, you should ensure that you have one corded single-line touch-tone phone connected directly to your in-home wiring (wall jack) which is connected directly to our Battery Backup Unit.
If you connect a cordless phone, it will not function without a separate battery backup, and not all cordless phones are
so equipped.
The battery backup unit only provides enough power for the home phone service. Other services may not function during a power outage. Some home security systems, medical monitoring devices and other equipment will not run on a home phone battery backup unit.
Replacement Options
Golden West monitors the health of the battery installed in your home and will replace the battery backup unit when it has reached end-of-life. If you purchased the 24-hour backup, you will be charged for a replacement unless you direct Golden West to downgrade to the 8-hour option. For questions, or to request and obtain a replacement battery, please call 1-855-888-7777.
Expected Backup Power Duration
The actual duration of backup power provided during a power outage may be more or less than what your unit was designed to support, depending upon battery age, usage, and other environmental factors. If your home phone service does not last the intended 8 hours during a power outage, please contact Golden West at 1-855-888-7777 to schedule a replacement of the battery backup unit.
Proper Care and Use of Your Battery
Environmental factors such as temperature and moisture can shorten your battery’s useful life. The battery backup unit should be maintained in a clean and dry environment with a consistent temperature between 41°F and 104°F to maximize the useful life of the battery. The installed battery is rechargeable, but it will not last forever. It should be replaced when your phone service does not last the intended duration during a power outage.
Option Available for Longer Backup Power
Golden West offers an upgraded 24-hour battery backup unit for $165 plus applicable installation charges. The charge is applied once to the customer’s monthly telephone bill. A scheduled appointment is required to install the 24-hour battery backup unit at your location. Golden West will not install the 24-hour battery backup unit during a power outage event.