STX power outage qu...
 
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STX power outage question

(@SkysTheLimit)
Posts: 1914
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Topic starter
 

Yesterday during the power outage I started my generator mostly to keep the fridges cold.
With BBVI and Dish I was able to get online and/or watch TV.

For those of you with other providers and a generator or battery bank, does Innovative work during an outage? Phone, internet, TV? What about Choice?
Our Innovative phone line went dead.

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 12:11 pm
(@the-oldtart)
Posts: 6523
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I have a simple battery backup which keeps my phone and internet operational for about 90 minutes during WAPA outages in my area of STT so yes, those two Innovative services do stay on. Can't answer for the cable TV as that and the DVR are plugged into outlets with no backup power.

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 12:16 pm
(@SkysTheLimit)
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Tart,
Are you on EVO?

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 12:17 pm
CruzanIron
(@cruzaniron)
Posts: 2534
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I have a simple battery backup which keeps my phone and internet operational for about 90 minutes during WAPA outages in my area of STT so yes, those two Innovative services do stay on. Can't answer for the cable TV as that and the DVR are plugged into outlets with no backup power.

Unfortunately, my backup beeps every minute to let me know the power went out. Annoying when you are sleeping.

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 12:43 pm
(@the-oldtart)
Posts: 6523
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Skys, yes, on EVO.

Cruzan, yes that is annoying but I'm in an area which does see frequent outages of short duration so I've learned to either drown it out mentally or combine it with the yatter of the tree frog chorus! The beeping of course stops when the battery power runs out.

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 1:14 pm
(@east-ender)
Posts: 5404
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We have auto generator, but if power at Innovative is out, cable is out.

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 2:20 pm
(@SkysTheLimit)
Posts: 1914
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We have auto generator, but if power at Innovative is out, cable is out.

Also internet and phone? "but if Innovative is out" Surely they have a generator?

What if power was out for days or weeks? Without WAPA, can Innovative perform for a long haul?

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 2:33 pm
(@kakalee)
Posts: 170
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Choice worked as well as choice ever does during the outage

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 2:41 pm
(@the-oldtart)
Posts: 6523
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Also internet and phone? "but if Innovative is out" Surely they have a generator?

What if power was out for days or weeks? Without WAPA, can Innovative perform for a long haul?

Of course Innovative has generator power. Everything goes through the EVO system so I'm not sure why if the other services stay on (if you have backup power), cable TV wouldn't stay on too. Guess when I'm down there next I'll just have to ask in case I ever do have generator backup.

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 3:07 pm
(@east-ender)
Posts: 5404
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I don't use my landline much,but since it is now bundled in with the EVO box for cable, I don't know if we would have phone. Used to be you could just plug an old-fashioned phone into the jack during outages.Our internet is separate from the EVO box. And, yes, you would think that Innovative would have generator back up...

(I know you sell some sort of satellite deal, Sky, so your questions are probably rhetorical, but to others who really want to know...)

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 3:09 pm
(@SkysTheLimit)
Posts: 1914
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I don't use my landline much,but since it is now bundled in with the EVO box for cable, I don't know if we would have phone. Used to be you could just plug an old-fashioned phone into the jack during outages.Our internet is separate from the EVO box. And, yes, you would think that Innovative would have generator back up...

(I know you sell some sort of satellite deal, Sky, so your questions are probably rhetorical, but to others who really want to know...)

I do sell Dish. But I'm honestly curious about other services, and how they are, or are not, prepared for a long power outage. Yesterday was a good test of that and I'm looking for feedback since I don't use Innovative or Choice.

Since Dish signals come from orbit, all you need is some sort of power at your house. Battery and/or generator.

While walking the dog yesterday I heard a generator running in an Innovative green box that was recently installed at the end of our road. Looked closely at it and a sticker read Propane. It was pretty quiet but definitely a generator running inside. I assume this is to power EVO but not sure. My questions about this is who will be maintaining these gennys and keeping the fuel topped off? How long will they run on a tank?...............................

After Omar we were without power for 9 days. It will happen again. Just a matter of when and how prepared will I be?

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 3:28 pm
(@the-oldtart)
Posts: 6523
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I don't use my landline much,but since it is now bundled in with the EVO box for cable, I don't know if we would have phone. Used to be you could just plug an old-fashioned phone into the jack during outages.Our internet is separate from the EVO box. )

Yes, landline 'phone is on as long as you have backup power. Why would your internet be separate? Mine comes through the EVO box.

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 4:00 pm
(@alana33)
Posts: 12365
Illustrious Member
 

During one of the outages we had recently, I want to make a call and my landline with Choice was dead. I have an EVO box and generator was running. Luckily, I have a cell phone but I thought it odd.

If you have an old land line phone that can just plug into a wall jack, will those still work these days?

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 4:46 pm
(@the-oldtart)
Posts: 6523
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If you have an old land line phone that can just plug into a wall jack, will those still work these days?

Not if you've been completely rerouted through the EVO system. I believe Innovative said a while ago that if you have a still-working old outlet and the wires are still good, that'll work as long as the lines hold up. An unfortunate loss in my opinion but I guess since everybody these days seems to have mobile phones it's not considered necessary.

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 4:52 pm
(@CarlHartmann)
Posts: 158
Estimable Member
 

At Coakley Bay we have 3 really big diesel Backup Generators that are wired into the main electrical service using automatic transfer switches -- so 5 seconds after power fails, all of the lines are powered again. We have DISH, ATT Cell and copper Innovative phone-- all of which work. However, Broadband VI's radio out on the point right in front of us used to go out after about an hour....but seems to have a hardier battery backup these days. So everything keeps working.

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 7:29 pm
(@beeski)
Posts: 644
Honorable Member
 

At Coakley Bay we have 3 really big diesel Backup Generators that are wired into the main electrical service using automatic transfer switches -- so 5 seconds after power fails, all of the lines are powered again. We have DISH, ATT Cell and copper Innovative phone-- all of which work. However, Broadband VI's radio out on the point right in front of us used to go out after about an hour....but seems to have a hardier battery backup these days. So everything keeps working.

BBVI spent over $100k on generators / battery banks in 2014. While not perfect in the 15 hour outage (3 sites were down due to generators that were not under our control not working) we did better than the past. We learned a few things and will make further improvements.

 
Posted : April 19, 2015 7:38 pm
(@east-ender)
Posts: 5404
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Yes, landline 'phone is on as long as you have backup power. Why would your internet be separate? Mine comes through the EVO box.

OT: We have separate BBVI internet.

 
Posted : April 20, 2015 12:43 am
(@beeski)
Posts: 644
Honorable Member
 

Sky, the answer to your question is that they were down on STX according to their press release:
http://stcroixsource.com/content/business/st-croix-business/2015/04/30/innovative-addresses-recent-network-outage-st-croix

 
Posted : May 1, 2015 9:51 am
(@SkysTheLimit)
Posts: 1914
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Sky, the answer to your question is that they were down on STX according to their press release:
http://stcroixsource.com/content/business/st-croix-business/2015/04/30/innovative-addresses-recent-network-outage-st-croix

That's what I thought. From Innovative. " insufficient emergency power from our grid caused a large portion of our network to fail, and, unfortunately, our customers were left without telephone, cable TV or Internet services." "Consequently, even customers with generators were without Innovative service.""

 
Posted : May 1, 2015 11:06 am
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