In most cases, no. Your nbn connection needs power; without it your phone won’t work - not even for 000 calls. But there are a couple of cases where your phone WILL work in a power failure:

If your phone’s still on the copper line;

If you have nbn Fixed Wireless and you keep your home phone on the copper network, then it will still work in a power failure if your handset does not rely on mains power.  For example, cordless phone handsets commonly reply on mains power, and would not work in the event of a power failure.

If you’ve got nbn FTTP and a battery back-up;

If you have nbn Fibre to the Premises with a battery back-up AND a phone handset that doesn’t need power, your phone line will still work in a power failure for a limited period of time.

How long does battery back-up last?

If you have a battery back-up unit, this should provide you with power for approximately five hours.

During that time, you’ll be able to make and receive calls on a corded home phone connected directly to your nbn connection box.

Good to know:

• Cordless phones need power and won’t work in a power failure regardless of your nbn connection.
• We recommend you have a mobile phone available in case you need emergency help during a power failure.