Power cut help
Landline not working in a power cut?
If your home phone went silent last time the lights went out, you're not alone. It's a side effect of the digital switchover, it isn't a fault, and it's easy to fix.
On this page
Why it happens
Your phone now plugs into your broadband hub. The hub runs on mains power, so in a power cut it switches off and your phone line goes with it.
Cordless phones make it worse: the base station needs mains power too. So there are 2 things that stop working, the hub and the cordless base.
The 2-part fix
1. Give the hub backup power with a hub battery backup like LineKeeper (4+ hours on a typical hub).
2. Keep 1 cheap corded phone plugged into the hub. It needs no power of its own and costs a few pounds.
LineKeeper™ Hub Battery Backup
4+ hours of backup · fits in 60 seconds · free UK delivery · 90-day money-back
From £89
Quick checks during a power cut
Look at the hub: if all the lights are off, it has no power. If the lights are on but there's no dial tone, check the phone is plugged into the hub's phone socket, not the old wall socket.
If you have a separate white Openreach fibre box on the wall, that needs power too. LineKeeper's splitter lead powers both.
Reporting the power cut
You can call 105 from a mobile, or from a landline with backup power, to report a power cut or find out how long it will last. It's free and works across Great Britain.
How long will the backup last?
LineKeeper has a 74 Wh battery. A typical UK broadband hub uses roughly 10 to 15 watts, which gives 4 hours or more. Powering a separate fibre box as well, or an older hub that uses more power, shortens that. Fewer connected devices make it last longer.
For comparison, providers only have to offer a solution that lasts at least 1 hour. Many UK power cuts, especially in storms, last longer than that.
| What LineKeeper is powering | Typical runtime |
|---|---|
| Modern broadband hub only | 4+ hours |
| Hub plus separate fibre box | Less than hub alone |
| Older or high-power hub | Less than 4 hours |
| Provider minimum (Ofcom guidance) | 1 hour |
Is LineKeeper right for your home?
It's a good fit if: your phone now plugs into your broadband hub; someone at home relies on the landline or a pendant alarm; mobile signal is weak where you live; or you buy for a parent who lives alone.
It's not the right fit if: your hub's plug label doesn't say 12V; you need to power a computer, TV or fridge (LineKeeper is made only for hubs and fibre boxes); or your alarm already has its own mobile (SIM) connection and you don't use the landline.
Not sure? Try it for up to 90 days. If it doesn't suit you, send it back for a full refund.
How to fit it, step by step
- Charge it. Plug LineKeeper into the mains and let it charge fully. It stays plugged in from then on.
- Check the plug label. Look at the label on your hub's power plug. If it says 12V, LineKeeper fits.
- Connect the hub. Unplug the hub's power lead from the hub, plug it into LineKeeper, then plug LineKeeper's output lead into the hub.
- Add the fibre box if you have one. If a separate white Openreach box on the wall also has a power lead, use the splitter lead in the box to power both.
- Plug in a corded phone. Keep 1 corded phone plugged into the hub's phone socket. Cordless bases need mains power, corded phones don't.
- Test it. Switch the socket off at the wall. The hub lights should stay on and you should still get a dial tone.
LineKeeper™ Hub Battery Backup
4+ hours of backup · fits in 60 seconds · free UK delivery · 90-day money-back
From £89
Sources and further help
- Openreach: the UK move to digital phone lines
- Power Cut 105: report or check a power cut
- Ofcom: phones, broadband and power cuts
How we write our guides
Written by the LineKeeper team in plain English. We check facts against Ofcom, Openreach and provider guidance, and update guides when the rules change. We sell the LineKeeper Hub Battery Backup, and we say when it isn't the right fit. About us.
Related guides
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to common questions about landline not working in power cut.
Is my landline broken if it stops in a power cut?
Almost certainly not. Digital landlines are designed to need power at the hub. Backup power for the hub solves it.
Can I go back to the old copper line?
No. The old network is being retired across the UK, so all providers are moving customers to digital lines.
Do I need an engineer to fit it?
No. Fitting takes about 60 seconds: move the hub's power lead into LineKeeper and plug LineKeeper into the hub. No app, no settings.
Is there a guarantee?
Yes. Every order has a 90-day money-back guarantee and free tracked UK delivery.
Keep your line on through the next power cut
From £89 (was £178). Free tracked UK delivery, 90-day money-back, fits in 60 seconds.
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