If my company loses Internet (or power), will we lose our phone service?

It rarely comes up as an objection or concern anymore. Most businesses today are familiar with Voice over IP (VoIP) and understand that modern phone systems rely on an Internet connection.

But it’s still a question worth asking:

“Will we lose our phone service if power or the Internet are disrupted?”

Here’s the short answer:

No.

But in fairness, it depends on how you define “lose our phone service.”

Let’s take a closer look at what actually happens during an Internet or power outage – and why a properly designed cloud-based phone system gives your business several ways to stay connected.

What Happens If Your Office Loses Internet or Power?

If the majority of your phones are located at your office and that location loses Internet or power, the physical phones at that location will no longer function for the duration of the outage.

But that does not mean your company loses its phone service.

Here’s what happens:

1. Your automated attendant can continue answering company calls.
   Callers can still hear your company greeting and access the options you’ve configured.
2. Calls to individual extensions can still be answered by voicemail.
   Customers and other callers can leave messages even though the physical phone at your office is temporarily offline.
3. Remote employees and satellite offices can continue operating normally.
   As long as they have Internet access and power, their phones and applications remain connected to your company phone system.
4. Employees affected by the outage can use the mobile app.
   Disable Wi-Fi, connect through your cellular data service, and log into the mobile app to continue making and receiving business calls.
5. Employees can work from another location using the desktop app.
   Go somewhere with Internet access, log into the desktop application, and continue working with your business phone service.
6. You can be notified when someone leaves a voicemail.
   If calls are being routed to voicemail, employees can receive immediate email notifications when new messages arrive, assuming voicemail-to-email notifications are enabled.
7. IDeACOM can help if the outage becomes extended.
   Much of this happens automatically. But if you’re dealing with a prolonged outage, IDeACOM can redirect calls or reprogram your system based on your specific circumstances.

Your Office May Be Down. Your Phone Service Doesn’t Have to Be.

One of the advantages of a cloud-based phone system is that your phone service isn’t dependent on a single physical location.

An Internet or power outage may temporarily take the desk phones in your office offline, but your business phone system can remain operational in the cloud.

Your automated attendant can keep answering. Voicemail can keep taking messages. Remote employees can keep working. And employees at the affected location can use their mobile or desktop apps to stay connected.

So, as you can see, the short answer – “No, you won’t lose your phone service” – isn’t quite as short as it sounds.

But that’s a good thing.

You have options. And your business has multiple ways to stay connected when the unexpected happens.

If you have questions about business continuity, Internet outages, power failures, or how your phone system is configured, reach out to your IDeACOM representative. We’d be happy to walk you through it.

What Else Keeps You Up at Night?

Technology should help eliminate business worries – not create new ones.

So tell us what keeps you up at night.

Reach out to your IDeACOM representative. We’d love to help you solve it.