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FAQ: Outages
What happens during an outage?
Your Internet service needs both our fiber network and your home’s electricity to work. Our town has invested in a back-up generator to keep the network up even if power is out in town—but you will still need a source of power at your home to access our Internet and phone services, including 911.
There are as many as four devices which will need power to keep things working during an outage:
- The ONT (generally in the basement)
- The router (often on the first floor)
- The Telo device
- Your wired telephone(s) if you have our digital phone service
You should be sure that these devices are on circuits which are served by a home backup generator and/or that you are powering them via battery backups/uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), available online or at local big box stores.
In the event that the Internet is down for any reason, you will not have phone or 911 service via your digital telephone until Internet access is restored.
What happens after an outage?
Typically, once power is restored, your internet service will come back up on its own. If not, there are a few things you can check:
- First, it may be that the fiber network has been damaged, either in your town or at your home. If aware of the outage, Whip City Fiber will do their best to post a banner announcing this status at www.whipcityfiber.com/becket.
- If there is damage at your home, please contact the Whip City Fiber Tech Team at 413-485-1204 to report the issue.
- Following the power outage, check and reset any tripped power strips or GFCI outlets that your devices are connected to.
- To get your service up and running, you may need to refresh the devices in your home. We recommend you begin by unplugging power from all devices and then powering them up in this order: starting with the ONT (white device, generally in the basement), leave it unplugged for 60 seconds, then plug it back in. Next, plug in your router (black device, generally on the first floor). Finally, if you have our Digital Phone Service, plug in the Telo device (with the flower light). You may need to do the same with your phones as well.
You may want to refer to the Whip City Fiber Help Center for additional information.
As always, the Whip City Fiber Tech Team welcomes your call at 413-485-1204 or 833-WCF-HELP (833-923-4357). Phones are staffed 24 hours a day so they can work on correcting your issue right away. You can also reach the Tech Team by email at techsupport@whipcityfiber.com, which is monitored until 8 PM each day.
How are outages resolved?
If there is a large-scale power outage in your area, Whip City fiber technicians have to wait until that is resolved before addressing any Internet outage. Rest assured that the Whip City Fiber Tech Team is keeping tabs on activity in the area and will respond as soon as it is safe. If it is only an Internet issue, then the Tech Team will address it in the office and in the field. They will do their best to provide updates to customers as they learn more information.
When network service has been restored, some customers’ services may not come back up on their own. If you believe that an outage has been resolved but you are still having problems, we ask that you contact the Whip City Tech Team at 833-WCF-HELP (833-923-4357). Phones are staffed 24 hours a day so they can work on correcting your issue right away. You can also reach them by email at techsupport@whipcityfiber.com, which is monitored until 8 PM each day.
What if my service doesn’t come back up following an outage?
Typically, once power is restored, your Internet service will come back up on its own. If not, there are a few things you can check.
First, it may be that the fiber network has been damaged, either in town or at your home. If Whip City Fiber is aware of the outage, they will do their best to post a banner at www.whipcityfiber.com/becket.
If you are aware of damage at your home, please contact the Whip City Fiber Tech Team at 413-485-1204 to report the issue.
Please check that any power strips or GFCI outlets for your devices have been reset after a power outage.
To get your service up and running, you may need to refresh the devices in your home. We recommend you begin by unplugging power from all devices and then powering them up in this order:
- Starting with the ONT (white device, generally in the basement), leave it unplugged for 60 seconds, then plug it back in.
- Next, plug in your router (black device, generally on the first floor).
- Finally, if you have our Digital Phone Service, plug in the Telo device (with the flower light). You may need to do the same with your phones as well.
You may want to refer to the Whip City Fiber Help Center for additional information.
As always, the Whip City Fiber Tech Team welcomes your call at 413-485-1204 or 833-WCF-HELP (833-923-4357). Phones are staffed 24 hours a day so they can work on correcting your issue right away. You can also reach the Tech Team by email at techsupport@whipcityfiber.com, which is monitored until 8 PM each day.
How can I report an outage?
Our goal is excellent and reliable service, but sometimes Mother Nature has other ideas. Any time your service is not working, for the quickest response, we ask that you contact the Whip City Tech Team at 833-WCF-HELP (833-923-4357). Phones are staffed 24 hours a day so they can work on correcting your issue right away. You can also reach them by email at techsupport@whipcityfiber.com, which is monitored until 8 PM each day. Outages and other technical issues will be addressed most quickly when you contact the Tech Team and not Customer Service, which does not have 24 hour coverage.
What if I see downed fiber at my home?
First, always assume that a downed wire of any kind is dangerous. What you think is a fiber drop could be a hazardous electrical line, so please stay away. For the quickest response, report your downed drop to the Whip City Tech Team at 413-485-1204 or 833-WCF-HELP (833-923-4357). Phones are staffed 24 hours a day so they can work on correcting your issue right away. You can also reach them by email at techsupport@whipcityfiber.com, which is monitored until 8 PM each day.
Will my digital phone work if the Internet is down?
Your Digital Phone Service runs over the Internet. If Internet access is interrupted, your digital phone will not work. If only the power is out and you can provide generator power or a battery backup/uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to the ONT, router, and Telo device, then your phone will continue to work. We know that there is limited cell service throughout much of Becket, so we encourage you to plan and be ready for these eventualities.
In the event that the Internet is down for any reason, you will not have phone or 911 service via your digital telephone until Internet access is restored.
Can you provide a credit for the time my service has been interrupted?
Typically, when there is an interruption of service, it is brief. We are not able to offer a credit or refund if your service goes out because our network belongs to you and the taxpayers in our town. Offering a credit to customers would impair our town's ability to fund the debt on our network’s construction.
How can an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) help during an outage?
If you plan ahead, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can be a solution to keep your service working during a power outage. Customers can purchase a UPS battery online or at retail stores where other computer or office supplies are sold. When looking for the right UPS for you, it's important to note that both the ONT and router will need to be powered by a UPS to continue service. In addition, if you are a Digital Phone Service customer, your Telo device and your phone/phone base station will also need to be connected to such power to maintain service during a power outage.
During a recent town information session, one of Becket Broadband's Ad Hoc Committee members mentioned his recent purchase of a UPS to support his ONT, router, and Ooma Telo during power outages. As promised you can see details of his APC model BE850G2 here. He found it for $104 on Amazon.com. There are lots of good UPS options out there. Shop around; prices vary. And remember, the larger the UPS's capacity (the VA number), the longer your equipment can stay on during an extended outage.
You can learn more about UPS batteries here. For more information about maintaining power during an outage, visit wiredwest.net/for-customers/maintaining-service-in-a-power-outage.
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