Power cut help
Keeping Wi-Fi on during a power cut
Mobile data is patchy and expensive in an outage. Keeping your hub powered keeps Wi-Fi, video calls and smart alarms online. Here's how.
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Does broadband work in a power cut?
Your provider's network usually has its own backup power, so the service on the line often keeps going. What fails is the hub in your home, because it runs on mains power.
Very long or widespread outages can eventually affect local network equipment too, but for most power cuts, powering your hub is enough.
Options compared
The common ways people try to stay online.
| Option | Good for | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|
| Phone hotspot | Short checks | Drains your phone, needs signal, uses data |
| Office UPS | Computers | Bulky, often noisy, built for PCs |
| USB power bank | Charging phones | Usually 5V, no automatic switchover |
| Hub battery backup | Hubs and phones | Only powers the hub and fibre box |
LineKeeper™ Hub Battery Backup
4+ hours of backup · fits in 60 seconds · free UK delivery · 90-day money-back
From £89
Make it last longer
Turn off devices you don't need, avoid streaming video, and unplug mesh units or boosters you won't use. Messages, calls and checking the power cut map use very little data.
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
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 wifi in power cut.
Will my Wi-Fi work if the whole street loses power?
Usually yes, if your hub has backup power. Provider networks have backup power further up the line, though very long or widespread outages can affect them too.
Will Wi-Fi boosters stay on?
No, LineKeeper powers the main hub and a fibre box only. Devices near the hub will still connect.
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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