> The traditional POTS infrastructure was[1] designed to work without power for weeks. That involved no only battery backup, but also longer-lasting backup power (e.g. big tanks of diesel) for when the batteries ran out.
> [1] I have no idea if that reliability still exists, or if AT&T ruined that reliability in the name of "efficiency" and profit.
This is addressed in the article. It's unclear to me whether AT&T lines go down due to external power failure, but other providers don't use powered lines:
> Residents said even their once-reliable landlines and Internet, such as those operated by Frontier Communications, weren’t working. Comcast/Xfinity also was down.
> In the era of traditional phone service, Ma Bell’s lines were themselves energized and very reliable.
> But companies’ transition to Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) – with phone calls over the Internet – is dependent on outside electricity. VOIP calls fail when either the company’s facility or the resident’s home lacks backup power.
> Comcast customers lose service where the power is out at their home, because the services need energy to operate, according to Comcast’s Joan Hammel. Comcast service also stops if power is disrupted elsewhere in the network, she said. Comcast’s service, like all other companies who have transitioned to Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephony, fails when either the company’s facility or the resident’s home lacks backup power.
> “Like all PG&E customers, we are also affected by this power shutdown, said Vince Bitong of AT&T. “We are aware that service for some customers may be affected and we continue to move quickly to keep our customers, FirstNet subscribers and public safety agencies connected.”
> [1] I have no idea if that reliability still exists, or if AT&T ruined that reliability in the name of "efficiency" and profit.
This is addressed in the article. It's unclear to me whether AT&T lines go down due to external power failure, but other providers don't use powered lines:
> Residents said even their once-reliable landlines and Internet, such as those operated by Frontier Communications, weren’t working. Comcast/Xfinity also was down.
> In the era of traditional phone service, Ma Bell’s lines were themselves energized and very reliable.
> But companies’ transition to Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) – with phone calls over the Internet – is dependent on outside electricity. VOIP calls fail when either the company’s facility or the resident’s home lacks backup power.
> Comcast customers lose service where the power is out at their home, because the services need energy to operate, according to Comcast’s Joan Hammel. Comcast service also stops if power is disrupted elsewhere in the network, she said. Comcast’s service, like all other companies who have transitioned to Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephony, fails when either the company’s facility or the resident’s home lacks backup power.
> “Like all PG&E customers, we are also affected by this power shutdown, said Vince Bitong of AT&T. “We are aware that service for some customers may be affected and we continue to move quickly to keep our customers, FirstNet subscribers and public safety agencies connected.”