"Dr S Lartius" wrote in message
...
Everyone will need to buy either new phones or else a converter
(essentially
analogue/digital interface) to allow existing analogue phone to work.

Either way, power will be needed for these phones or converters, which
means
that a landline phone cannot be relied on during power cuts. When we were
having up-down-up-down power cuts the other night, I was able to use an
"old
fashioned" corded phone to phone the power distribution people.

The converter or new phone could include a rechargeable battery, perhaps
of the same size as common non-rechargeables, acting as part of a
mini-UPS. As an option, the phone could then optionally ring you, there
or elsewhere, to tell you that the power had gone off/on ...

However, a switch-off of the analogue phone signal does not _require_ a
switch-off of the DC power which is applied to the distant end of your
telephone feed.

No, although as the UK moves gradually towards FTTP rather than ADSL or
FTTC, the ability to take DC power from the exchange or cabinet will be
removed.

Good idea to have a rechargeable battery as a short-term UPS - why didn't I
think of that?