Help guide first step for battery backup

The roll out of the National Broadband Network is set to revolutionise the way Australians communicate, nevertheless it has raised questions about the reliability of the network compared with existing copper-based telephone systems, especially among non-technical people.

Today's copper-based telephone systems, often referred to as POTS do not require any form of secondary power to be able to make calls. During not infallible, POTS removes the necessity for the end-user to worry about power backups as the power supply is managed at the exchange.

The arrival of optical network terminals adds another device into the chain of telephone and internet services. If the ONT goes down, all landline services go with it.

"The PSU that houses the backup battery does have system of alarms and lights to indicate the state of battery," the spokesperson said. "The terminals support a voice-only service which needs a standard phone plugged into unit and that port is what battery backup supports."

Anthony Merry, CTO and founder of Melbourne-based networking equipment vendor, Haliplex, said the issue of reliability as well comes down to demarcation.

In the past Merry has expressed concerns about the reliability of the NBN core network when all is said and done of a natural disaster.