Learn about battery backups

Have our traditional home phone over AT&T Fiber or digital phone service? Find out how to get standby power during outages.

How to get standby power during outages

Use a battery backup system to keep your phone working during a power outage. That way, you can still call 911 and maintain home alarms or medical alert services for short periods of time.

Keep in mind:

Each piece of equipment used to provide voice service to your home needs its own battery backup. You may need backups for:
- Wi-Fi^® gateways or modems
- Optical network terminal (ONT) devices
Many cordless phones require power to make calls. Test yours before an outage to see if you’ll need a battery backup.
During a power outage, limit your use to emergency calls only. How long your backup will last depends on your equipment and how long you talk on the phone. Other AT&T services (such as U-verse^® TV or AT&T Internet) may quickly drain your stored power.
Live in an apartment, condo, townhouse, or duplex? Your battery backup may be stored in an equipment room. If it is, contact your landlord or property management. Get more important info about backing up your equipment

Equipment details for 24-hour backup

We offer a 24-hour battery backup option, but you have other options. You can buy a backup option that lasts for less time. For example:

A single APC Cube can power most Wi-Fi gateways eight hours or more.
A single battery backup unit on outdoor fiber ONT (Optical Network Terminator) can last eight hours or more.

Medical or safety power needs: Can’t be without power due to medical or safety reasons? We suggest you choose a battery that offers up to 24 hours of backup time.

Maintain your battery backup

D-cell batteries
Find out how to check and replace D-cell batteries and more. Download the battery backup guide for digital home phone services with AT&T Fiber (indoor) (PDF, 1.4MB)

APC rechargeable battery units
Get info on how to check, replace, and recharge your APC batteries. Download the battery backup guide for digital phone or G.Fast services (PDF, 1009KB)

Find the service backup that fits your phone equipment

The right battery backup for you depends on the type of phone service you have. Review the options to identify your service and equipment type. Not sure what you have? Call us at 800.288.2020 for more help.

Good to know: Before you install a battery backup, make sure you unplug your Wi-Fi gateway. Keep it unplugged while you connect your backup power supply. During this time, your AT&T Internet, Phone, and U-verse TV service will be interrupted. (This includes any scheduled recordings.)

SERVICE TYPE

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Equipment types used: ONT outside your home and a power supply inside your home.

How to get backup:

Call us at 800.288.2020 to find out which kit to get. Tip: Write down the call-back number we give you for faster service.
Buy the backup kit we identified for your ONT:
- 1 D-cell battery backup kit (requires 12 D-cell batteries, not included). Once you get the kit, call the toll-free number we gave you to schedule a tech install (charges will apply). The tech will upgrade your battery backup.
- 1 GT12080-HG extended power kit from GS Battery. Be sure to check out the installation instructions inside the kit.

Setup guide: Battery backup for traditional home phone services (PDF, 966KB)

Cost for 24-hour backup: About $200

Good to know: Have multiple phones lines? You may have more than one type of phone service to back up. See Digital home phone service with AT&T Fiber to find out how to back up both services.

Equipment types used: Nokia ONT 010 or 020 inside your home, Wi-Fi gateway (yours may look different)

What to buy:

3 APC CP12142LI battery backup units to back up your Wi-Fi gateway
2 battery backup power supplies to charge your second and third battery backup units
1 D-cell battery backup kit to power your ONT (requires 12 D-cell batteries, not included)

Setup guide: Battery backup for digital home phone services with AT&T Fiber (indoor) (PDF, 1.4MB)

Cost for 24-hour backup: Around $475 (including D-cell battery backup kit for $79.99)

Equipment types used: ONT outside your house, power supply inside your house, and Wi-Fi gateway. In addition to this equipment, you have an AT&T Phone, AT&T Internet, or U-verse TV account.

How to get 24-hour battery backup:

Call us at 800.288.2020 to find out which kit to get. Tip: Write down the call-back number we gave you for faster service.
Buy the kit we identified for you to power your ONT.
- 1 D-cell battery backup kit (requires 12 D-cell batteries, not included). Once you get the kit, call the toll-free number we gave you to schedule a tech install (charges will apply.) The tech will upgrade your battery backup.
- 1 GT12080-HG extended power kit from GS Battery. Want to install it? See the installation instructions inside the kit.
Buy other equipment.
- 3 APC CP12142LI battery backup units to power your Wi-Fi gateway.
- 2 battery backup power supplies to charge your second and third battery backup units.
Set up your power supply for the Wi-Fi gateway.

Setup guide: Battery backup for digital home phone services with AT&T Fiber (outdoor) (PDF, 1.2MB)

Cost for 24-hour backup: About $165 - $550

Equipment types used: BGW210 Wi-Fi gateway and an Arris modem. Your battery backup will power both, if the modem is powered by a USB connection from the gateway.

What to buy:

3 APC CP12142LI battery backup units to back up your Wi-Fi gateway.
2 battery backup power supplies to charge your second and third battery backup units.

Setup guide: Battery backup for digital phone or G.Fast services (PDF, 1009KB)

Cost for 24-hour backup: Around $400

Equipment types used: BGW210 or BGW320 Wi-Fi gateway and a Nokia modem
What to buy for a BGW320:

2 PSI Battery Backup Kits which include 2 Power Supply units with 6 PSI Stackable Batteries to back up your Wi-Fi gateway
1 APC Smart UPS-X 120V for your network termination equipment (NTE)
1 APC Smart UPS-X battery pack for your network termination equipment (NTE)

Cost for 24-hour backup: Around $2000

Setup guide: Battery backup for G.Fast service with BGW320 (PDF, 633KB)

What to buy for a BGW210:

Cost for 24-hour backup: Around $2000

Setup guide: Battery backup for G.Fast service with BGW210 (PDF, 500KB)

Equipment types used: Nokia ONT 010 or 020 inside your home, BGW320 Wi-Fi gateway

What to buy:

2 PSI Battery Backup Kits which include 2 Power Supply units with 6 PSI Stackable Batteries to back up your Wi-Fi gateway.
1 D-cell battery backup kit to power your ONT (requires 12 D-cell batteries, not included)

Setup guide: Battery backup guide for BGW320 (PDF, 380KB)

Cost for 24-hour backup: Around $550

Equipment types used: ONT outside your house, power supply inside your house, and a BGW320 Wi-Fi gateway. In addition to this equipment, you have an AT&T Phone, AT&T Internet, or U-verse TV account.

How to get 24-hour battery backup:

Call us at 800.288.2020 to find out which kit to get. Tip: Write down the call-back number we gave you for faster service.
Buy the kit we identified to power your ONT.
- 1 D-cell battery backup kit (requires 12 D-cell batteries, not included). Once you get the kit, call the toll-free number we gave you to schedule a tech install (charges will apply). The tech will upgrade your battery backup.
- 1 GT12080-HG extended power kit from GS Battery. Want to install it? See the installation instructions inside the kit.
Buy 2 PSI Battery Backup Kits which include 2 Power Supply units with 6 PSI Stackable Batteries to back up your Wi-Fi gateway.
Set up your power supply for the Wi-Fi gateway.

Setup guide: Battery backup guide for BGW320 (PDF, 380KB)

Cost for 24-hour backup: Around $650

Learn about battery backups

How to get standby power during outages

Equipment details for 24-hour backup

Maintain your battery backup

Find the service backup that fits your phone equipment

SERVICE TYPE

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