Open Discussion - for our Readers, Islanders, and Web Site Visitors alike. Discussion regarding any and all aspects of Beaver Island are welcome here. Also a place for general Beaver Island conversation and discussion.
We're so glad that you are joining us this winter. I've been told to share this suggestion with others who might find this helpful when experiencing an electric outage. You should be able to use a traditional plug-in landline during a power outage because the telephone lines has its own power through TDS. Wireless household phones (not cell phone) do not work during an outage. As many of you have experienced cell phones do not work in certain areas of the island-even when electricity is not interrupted.
See the photo of the phone below. This type of phone can be used when your electricity is out to make calls. You need to insert the end of the phone into your phone plug which has electricity and you can actually make a call to 911 or Great Lakes Energy. This old relic phone sits in a closet until it is needed. If this is confusing, feel free to call me at 448-2314.
Stay well and we hope to show you some island hospitality post-Covid,
Pam Grassmick
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Last edited by Pam Grassmick on Mon Nov 09, 2020 11:42 am, edited 2 times in total.
Btw, I hear those phones you plug in the wall also have a new accessory invention....
It will let you know if someone has tried to contact you and even lets the caller leave information. It’s called an “Answering machine.”
Note : unless you have a battery back up it will not work during an electrical black out.
If we do not all hang together,
we will all hang separately,
Ben Franklin
When we stayed on the island the cottage had a landline with TDS who provides voice mail through the phone line not dependent on power or back up source. Things might have changed since we've been there. Worth checking out with TDS.
"The power's out – not the conversation. Sit back, light a candle and keep on talking, even when the power goes out. Just switch to the traditional corded phone you keep for emergencies. (You know, that dusty phone with the squiggly cord in your back bedroom? That's the one!) It'll work from any phone jack even when the power's out — the phone company has an emergency back-up system that powers the phone jacks, just not wireless home phones.
When the power's out, a landline phone connection will work more than 99.9 percent of the time. It's required by the FCC. This means you can still reach 911 and friends and family; they can all reach you, too. Even if a major storm (tornado or hurricane) comes through the area. It might take out the cell tower, but it can't take out the underground phone lines."