Originally Posted By: bws48
Originally Posted By: LesSnyder
Jacqui... does your workplace and friend have a "plain old telephone" in case the PBX or portable phones go out due to a power outage along with cell towers?


In many of today's offices, you can't get to a POTS line from a desk, as everything is going through a digital switch/PBX.

There is a place that you can find that POTS line. The Fax. It is almost always hooked into the POTS via the standard (US standard anyway) telephone plug line.

All you would need to do is unplug the fax from the wall jack and plug in an old fashioned phone. You might even have one laying around at home. Take it to work, throw it into you desk draw and problem solved without involving the boss.


Unless its a single house converted into an office the fax lines usually come from an ATA (Analog Terminal Adapter off the main phone system which means they will go down with it.

The phone system should be cable of running from a UPS, would be a good time to get one or check the batteries in the current one.