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(Mis)Uses of Technology

by Mike Masnick

Fri, Jan 16th 2004 10:15am





Battery Powered Modems For VoIP?

from the interesting... dept

A short article discussing all the known downsides to a VoIP system over a traditional landline points out that, one by one, each of these issues are being solved. The one thing that I figured was always going to be a problem was the power issue. When the power goes out, your regular landline stays on (assuming, of course, that you don't have a cordless phone), but your cable or DSL modem shuts off, and you lose the ability to use your VoIP line. However, the article briefly mentions that companies are working on cable modems with backup battery power. They probably won't survive through extended blackouts - but certainly could be useful for temporary power outages. Seems like such an obvious idea, I'm almost surprised it didn't show up earlier.

3 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

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    Lord Sludge, Jan 16th, 2004 @ 12:57pm

    I dunno about you, but I've used a cheapie UPS on my cable modem, switch, & (more recently) wireless access point for years.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

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    Beck, Jan 17th, 2004 @ 7:08am

    Or you can just use your cell phone when the power is out.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    battery backup useful?

    identicon
    Joe, Feb 12th, 2005 @ 9:30pm

    While the battery backup is useful when household power goes out, it's not all that useful when the electronics that put light onto the fiber of cable tv companies or fttp phone companies lose power at the street end. My phone is often up when my cable is out from fallen trees, etc. While I use a battery backup, sometimes the only way online is via dialup on a POTS line.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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