Does NBN work during a power outage?
The power has gone out and you want to know if your NBN and phone service will still work.
Tired of fighting your ISP? HIT Pacific — transparent pricing, no lock-in, real local support.
See our plansWhy this happens
- NBN Connection Boxes require mains power and don't work without it
- The copper phone network (PSTN) had battery backup at exchanges — NBN does not replace this by default
- Battery backup units are available but not included by default with most NBN equipment
How to fix it — step by step
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1. Understand that NBN needs power
Unlike the old copper phone network, NBN equipment at your home needs mains power to operate. If the power is out, your NBN is out.
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2. Check if you have a battery backup unit
NBN Co provided Battery Backup Units (BBUs) to customers who are medically dependent on their landline phone service and switched to FTTP. If you have one, your voice service may continue for a limited time.
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3. Use mobile data as backup
A mobile phone or mobile broadband device runs off its own battery. In most power outages, 4G/5G mobile networks remain active.
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4. Consider a UPS
An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) keeps your NBN box and router running during short outages. A basic unit costs $80-150 and provides 15-30 minutes of runtime.
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5. Register as life-dependent if applicable
If you rely on your landline for medical monitoring equipment, contact your ISP to register as a life-dependent customer. This may qualify you for a BBU.
Still having trouble?
If none of these steps resolve the problem, it may be an issue with your current provider. HIT Pacific offers transparent pricing, faster fault response, and local support.
See our plans