From: leichter@lrw.com   
      
   I keep a POTS line, mainly as a fallback in case of storm damage.  And,   
   indeed, when my power failed here in Stamford during Isaias, the POTS line   
   continued to work [but] the backup battery on my VOIP and Internet gave out.   
      
   I don't recall what the old standards for the CO backup power were, but I   
   expected 24 hours - probably quite a bit more.  Hah.  Within about 8 hours,   
   the POTS line was dead.   
      
   Now, it's certainly possible that this was independent line damage - but it   
   was many hours after the storm itself passed, and there were no nearby line   
   cuts in the area. (We had a large tree supported by communications lines   
   leaning completely over a nearby road - but the POTS line came back when our   
   power came back, several days before crews finally got to that tree.)   
      
   Of course, you only need to walk around the neighborhood a bit to see the   
   sorry state of Frontier's external plant.  Maintenance?  Not a priority.   
      
                                                           -- Jerry   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)