On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 13:13:11 -0600, Janet B >
wrote:

>On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 14:24:27 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:
>
>>On 2016-10-12 11:02 AM, Janet B wrote:
>>> On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 11:38:09 +1100, Jeßus > wrote:
>>
>>>> You can get a corded hands free answering machine phone (which still
>>>> works as a basic phone if the power goes out) with a cordless phone
>>>> anyway.
>>>
>>> But if telephone service is out, having a corded phone won't make any
>>> difference.
>>
>>That's true, but I think the point is that in most cases where the power
>>goes out the telephone lines still work, so a land line works. Power
>>lines go our when high demand causes equipment failure or something
>>cause lines to short out and blow fuses. Only occasionally are the
>>lines actually severed.
>>
>>I had a case of like that at my place about a month and a half ago. A
>>huge branch fell down across the road and landed on the power lines. The
>>power was off for about four hours. The impact caused the electrical
>>stack on my house to be pulled off and the line connecting me to main
>>line popped apart at the connection. That was quickly repaired. The
>>biggest delay was waiting for the the utility's forestry crew to come
>>out, Those wires were a good six lower than their usually position but
>>when they cut that last branch that was holding it down it snapped right
>>back up again. I was amazed at the amount of weight it held.
>>
>>My telephone line uses the same poles, but it comes from the pole to my
>>house underground. My land line was still working.
>>
>you're right. I forgot about using the cord phone when power is out.
>I was just focused on telephone poles being down.
>Janet US

True but generally when power is out over a wide area from downed
trees due to a large storm somewhere on the grid phone wires are also
down even when locally they are buried. With hurricanes on Lung
Guyland I've had no electrical power and no phone service either.
Where I live now when hurricane Sandy came through I had no electical
power or phone for three days due to fallen trees