- Vodafone’s Broadband Battery Backup powers routers in the event of outages
- BT, KCOM and Zen Internet will also be offering the device to customers, with a white-label product in the pipeline
- Vodafone Business will be offering the Battery Backup “in the near future”
New Ofcom regulations in the UK have given rise to a new backup battery for small business routers backed by the ISPs Vodafone, BT, KCOM and Zen Internet.
The Vodafone Broadband Battery Backup’s chief purpose is to keep landline-dependent customers, including those dependent on it to contact emergency services, activate a telecare alarm, or live in a remote area with low mobile coverage, connected ahead of the switch-off of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) in 2027, in favour of VoIP providers.
However, it will offer up to 7 hours battery life for a 25W router (4 hours for a 55W router), can power a router and modem simultaneously, and features a USB-C port for charging business smartphones and business tablets, making it an enticing development for SMB and enterprise customers.
Vodafone Broadband Battery Backup
Rob Winterschladen, Vodafone UK’s Consumer Director, said the company recognised “the vital importance of safeguarding landline-dependent customers”, referencing significant adverse weather events such as 2024’s Storm Darragh, which left 70,000 residents without power.
Research shows Britons have unreliable access to power. In 2023, UKPower found that 66% experienced a local outage, with 23% reporting that these happen almost annually.
The battery’s key draw is its compact size versus previously available comparable products, and an emergency mode that reserves 25% of the battery — useful in the event of an overnight outage.
“This new device is a vast improvement on anything that was available in the market, and essentially, is easy to install, to further support vulnerable consumers through the withdrawal of the traditional landline,” noted David Barber, Zen Internet’s Strategy Director.
Meanwhile, Ian Shepherdson, KCOM’s Chief Technology Officer, said that “[the company] will use the devices to provide a longer-life battery for ‘at risk’ customers who have their voice service migrated and delivered via the full fibre network.”
They also tempered expectations. “While not providing full internet connectivity because of the way KCOM’s network is configured, the devices will provide up to 12 hours emergency cover for voice calls in the event of a power cut or similar event.”
Perhaps most importantly for TechRadar Pro readers, Vodafone Business has announced its Battery Backup will be available to its customers “in the near future”, and that it’ll be released in a white-label variant for other ISPs and telcos to offer to their customers at a later date.
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luke.hughes@futurenet.com (Luke Hughes)
