Does making a VOIP call make any substantial change to the rate at which a router would draw power from a Battery Backup Unit?

With the retirement of POTS, BT (and other "providers") are required to provide Battery Backup Units for those without a mobile signal.

BT say:
"We advise that you limit your usage to essential calls only to preserve battery life during any outage"

I suspect that VOIP calling will make no measurable difference to power consumption - but could I check this with others?

If the power consumption is essentially the same with or without VOIP calls then perhaps the BT text is written by someone who doesn't understand (I seem to remember seeing at least one site, which I can't now track down, talking wrongly of a BBU providing "an hour of calls" rather than the correct "an hour in which you can make calls").

Or perhaps this has been deliberately written to lull users into a false sense of security - without actually deceiving people by saying that the unit will last a good long time if you don't make calls, might the wording be designed to give that (wrong) impression?

On Tuesday, 17 October 2023 at 10:32:53 UTC+1, jgwi...@gmail.com wrote:
> Does making a VOIP call make any substantial change to the rate at which a router would draw power from a Battery Backup Unit?
>
> With the retirement of POTS, BT (and other "providers") are required to provide Battery Backup Units for those without a mobile signal.
>
> BT say:
> "We advise that you limit your usage to essential calls only to preserve battery life during any outage"
>
> I suspect that VOIP calling will make no measurable difference to power consumption - but could I check this with others?
>
> If the power consumption is essentially the same with or without VOIP calls then perhaps the BT text is written by someone who doesn't understand (I seem to remember seeing at least one site, which I can't now track down, talking wrongly of a BBU providing "an hour of calls" rather than the correct "an hour in which you can make calls").
>
> Or perhaps this has been deliberately written to lull users into a false sense of security - without actually deceiving people by saying that the unit will last a good long time if you don't make calls, might the wording be designed to give that (wrong) impression?

Very little more unless the router includes an ATA, which will use power when the phone is connected, more in use and a fair bit more when ringing (~90VAC).

On 17/10/2023 15:07, notya...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Tuesday, 17 October 2023 at 10:32:53 UTC+1, jgwi...@gmail.com wrote:
>> Does making a VOIP call make any substantial change to the rate at which a router would draw power from a Battery Backup Unit?
>>
>> With the retirement of POTS, BT (and other "providers") are required to provide Battery Backup Units for those without a mobile signal.
>>
>> BT say:
>> "We advise that you limit your usage to essential calls only to preserve battery life during any outage"
>>
>> I suspect that VOIP calling will make no measurable difference to power consumption - but could I check this with others?
>>
>> If the power consumption is essentially the same with or without VOIP calls then perhaps the BT text is written by someone who doesn't understand (I seem to remember seeing at least one site, which I can't now track down, talking wrongly of a BBU providing "an hour of calls" rather than the correct "an hour in which you can make calls").
>>
>> Or perhaps this has been deliberately written to lull users into a false sense of security - without actually deceiving people by saying that the unit will last a good long time if you don't make calls, might the wording be designed to give that (wrong) impression?
>
> Very little more unless the router includes an ATA, which will use power when the phone is connected, more in use and a fair bit more when ringing (~90VAC).

Surely power consumption only rises as power is consumed, and I am sure
most modern phones only take a few mA of ring current....
.... it can be a huge amount as the PSU supplied with mine is only 2amp @ 12V

Dave

On Tue 17/10/2023 15:13, David Wade wrote:
> On 17/10/2023 15:07, notya...@gmail.com wrote:
>> On Tuesday, 17 October 2023 at 10:32:53 UTC+1, jgwi...@gmail.com wrote:
>>> Does making a VOIP call make any substantial change to the rate at
>>> which a router would draw power from a Battery Backup Unit?
>>>
>>> With the retirement of POTS, BT (and other "providers") are required
>>> to provide Battery Backup Units for those without a mobile signal.
>>>
>>> BT say:
>>> "We advise that you limit your usage to essential calls only to
>>> preserve battery life during any outage"
>>>
>>> I suspect that VOIP calling will make no measurable difference to
>>> power consumption - but could I check this with others?
>>>
>>> If the power consumption is essentially the same with or without VOIP
>>> calls then perhaps the BT text is written by someone who doesn't
>>> understand (I seem to remember seeing at least one site, which I
>>> can't now track down, talking wrongly of a BBU providing "an hour of
>>> calls" rather than the correct "an hour in which you can make calls").
>>>
>>> Or perhaps this has been deliberately written to lull users into a
>>> false sense of security - without actually deceiving people by saying
>>> that the unit will last a good long time if you don't make calls,
>>> might the wording be designed to give that (wrong) impression?
>>
>> Very little more unless the router includes an ATA, which will use
>> power when the phone is connected, more in use and a fair bit more
>> when ringing (~90VAC).
>
> Surely power consumption only rises as power is consumed, and I am sure
> most modern phones only take a few mA of ring current....
> ... it can be a huge amount as the PSU supplied with mine is only 2amp @
> 12V
>
>

A phone with an REN of 1 would have a resistance of 2400 ohms, which at
50Vac (not 90Vac) would draw around 20mA. Ringing volts at the exchange
used to be 70Vac or thereabouts delivering at least 25V at the phone,
but with most phones now having electronic ringers the REN is often much
less than 1 so the current draw when ringing would also be significantly
less.
As for speech, the average speech level and duration is much less than
you might expect so I wouldn't worry about that.

Come on Mark, tell me I'm wrong!

On Tuesday, 17 October 2023 at 17:55:49 UTC+1, Woody wrote:
> On Tue 17/10/2023 15:13, David Wade wrote:
> > On 17/10/2023 15:07, notya...@gmail.com wrote:
> >> On Tuesday, 17 October 2023 at 10:32:53 UTC+1, jgwi...@gmail.com wrote:
> >>> Does making a VOIP call make any substantial change to the rate at
> >>> which a router would draw power from a Battery Backup Unit?
> >>>
> >>> With the retirement of POTS, BT (and other "providers") are required
> >>> to provide Battery Backup Units for those without a mobile signal.
> >>>
> >>> BT say:
> >>> "We advise that you limit your usage to essential calls only to
> >>> preserve battery life during any outage"
> >>>
> >>> I suspect that VOIP calling will make no measurable difference to
> >>> power consumption - but could I check this with others?
> >>>
> >>> If the power consumption is essentially the same with or without VOIP
> >>> calls then perhaps the BT text is written by someone who doesn't
> >>> understand (I seem to remember seeing at least one site, which I
> >>> can't now track down, talking wrongly of a BBU providing "an hour of
> >>> calls" rather than the correct "an hour in which you can make calls").
> >>>
> >>> Or perhaps this has been deliberately written to lull users into a
> >>> false sense of security - without actually deceiving people by saying
> >>> that the unit will last a good long time if you don't make calls,
> >>> might the wording be designed to give that (wrong) impression?
> >>
> >> Very little more unless the router includes an ATA, which will use
> >> power when the phone is connected, more in use and a fair bit more
> >> when ringing (~90VAC).
> >
> > Surely power consumption only rises as power is consumed, and I am sure
> > most modern phones only take a few mA of ring current....
> > ... it can be a huge amount as the PSU supplied with mine is only 2amp @
> > 12V
> >
> >
> A phone with an REN of 1 would have a resistance of 2400 ohms, which at
> 50Vac (not 90Vac) would draw around 20mA. Ringing volts at the exchange
> used to be 70Vac or thereabouts delivering at least 25V at the phone,
> but with most phones now having electronic ringers the REN is often much
> less than 1 so the current draw when ringing would also be significantly
> less.
> As for speech, the average speech level and duration is much less than
> you might expect so I wouldn't worry about that.
>
> Come on Mark, tell me I'm wrong!

Nah! I remembered ring voltage as 90V AC, back in the days of whir and bang exchanges, but if you say 70V then OK.

OTOH perhaps it was higher: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringing_(telephony)#Specifications

On 17/10/2023 17:55, Woody wrote:
> On Tue 17/10/2023 15:13, David Wade wrote:
>> On 17/10/2023 15:07, notya...@gmail.com wrote:
>>> On Tuesday, 17 October 2023 at 10:32:53 UTC+1, jgwi...@gmail.com wrote:
>>>> Does making a VOIP call make any substantial change to the rate at
>>>> which a router would draw power from a Battery Backup Unit?
>>>>
>>>> With the retirement of POTS, BT (and other "providers") are required
>>>> to provide Battery Backup Units for those without a mobile signal.
>>>>
>>>> BT say:
>>>> "We advise that you limit your usage to essential calls only to
>>>> preserve battery life during any outage"
>>>>
>>>> I suspect that VOIP calling will make no measurable difference to
>>>> power consumption - but could I check this with others?
>>>>
>>>> If the power consumption is essentially the same with or without
>>>> VOIP calls then perhaps the BT text is written by someone who
>>>> doesn't understand (I seem to remember seeing at least one site,
>>>> which I can't now track down, talking wrongly of a BBU providing "an
>>>> hour of calls" rather than the correct "an hour in which you can
>>>> make calls").
>>>>
>>>> Or perhaps this has been deliberately written to lull users into a
>>>> false sense of security - without actually deceiving people by
>>>> saying that the unit will last a good long time if you don't make
>>>> calls, might the wording be designed to give that (wrong) impression?
>>>
>>> Very little more unless the router includes an ATA, which will use
>>> power when the phone is connected, more in use and a fair bit more
>>> when ringing (~90VAC).
>>
>> Surely power consumption only rises as power is consumed, and I am
>> sure most modern phones only take a few mA of ring current....
>> ... it can be a huge amount as the PSU supplied with mine is only 2amp
>> @ 12V
>>
>>
>
> A phone with an REN of 1 would have a resistance of 2400 ohms, which at
> 50Vac (not 90Vac) would draw around 20mA. Ringing volts at the exchange
> used to be 70Vac or thereabouts delivering at least 25V at the phone,
> but with most phones now having electronic ringers the REN is often much
> less than 1 so the current draw when ringing would also be significantly
> less.
> As for speech, the average speech level and duration is much less than
> you might expect so I wouldn't worry about that.
>
> Come on Mark, tell me I'm wrong!
>

I don't think you are are wrong.

Remember back in the day of real bells etc, it had to work, over up to a
few miles worth of poxy old twisted pair, so Mr Ohm would have had
plenty to say about things !

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

notya...@gmail.com wrote:

[snip]

>
> Nah! I remembered ring voltage as 90V AC, back in the days of whir and bang exchanges, but if you say 70V then OK.
>
> OTOH perhaps it was higher: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringing_(telephony)#Specifications
>

That article was probably written for the USA market. Best I can find
for UK is:

<https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=62>

--
Graham J

On Tue, 17 Oct 2023 14:46:17 -0700 (PDT), "notya...@gmail.com"
<notyalckram@gmail.com> wrote:

>>
>> Come on Mark, tell me I'm wrong!
>
>Nah! I remembered ring voltage as 90V AC, back in the days of whir and bang exchanges, but if you say 70V then OK.
>

SIN 351 says that the across the pair in the on hook state is no
greater than 70v. But ringing between 100v and 40v RMS.

ISTR that Telex used 90v, which may be what you're remembering.

>OTOH perhaps it was higher: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringing_(telephony)#Specifications

On Wednesday, 18 October 2023 at 08:42:00 UTC+1, Graham J wrote:
> notya...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> [snip]
> >
> > Nah! I remembered ring voltage as 90V AC, back in the days of whir and bang exchanges, but if you say 70V then OK.
> >
> > OTOH perhaps it was higher: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringing_(telephony)#Specifications
> >
> That article was probably written for the USA market. Best I can find
> for UK is:
>
> <https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=62>
>
> --
> Graham J

That says 75V AC. However that may be peak.