Shaw phone useless during Manitoba power outage

[AndyK]

As stated above, phone does not work if power is out. MTS phone would have probably have worked since it uses a separate power source. Left a lot of people with nothing if no cellular phone.

[mdk · Accepted solution]

The Shaw Phone device does have its own battery, expressly to provide backup-power for a short period.

Of course, like any battery (mobile phone or flashlight), when used, the battery does discharge, and has done so, in your predicament.

So, do you have any friends who use Shaw Phone and DO have electrical power? If so, you can remove the battery from your Shaw phone (just like removing a battery from a laptop computer), and connect it to your friend's Shaw Phone device, to recharge it. Your friend's telephone-service will not be interrupted while you swap batteries, nor while it recharges your battery.

Or, take your battery to your local Shaw retail outlet, and swap your discharged battery for a fully-charged battery. When you get home, connect the battery only briefly -- just long-enough to place telephone-calls, and then remove it, to limit its rate of discharge.

Yes, those people with cellular phones will have to make some arrangement to recharge their phone, when its battery has discharged.  Maybe, a USB port in their automobile can be used to recharge it?

[AndyK]

Thanks for the information. Do you know if this is true for the 5120 Motorola model. Shaw's battery removal instructions are for the 5220 and Arris models, but for the 5120 they just say that the battery is in the external power supply and give no removal instructions.

https://support.shaw.ca/t5/phone-articles/how-to-remove-the-battery-from-your-digital-phone-terminal...

[shaw-valerie]

@AndyK On the Motorola SBV5120 the external battery is part of the power cord.