Power outage: impact on calling, surfing and TV viewing

On the website of the Belgian government, you can easily check which blackout section your home is in. In case of an imminent power outage, you will be informed via the media which sections will be temporarily without electricity.

But what happens with landline and mobile calls, surfing and TV viewing during such a power outage? We've summed it all up for you here:

1. First of all, take precautions!
   • If possible, switch off all electrical appliances in your home beforehand. This includes your Proximus TV decoder, b-box modem, television, and any Ethernet adapters. Switch off all of these devices and also unplug them from the socket. That way, they won't be damaged. As soon as the power outage has ended, switch on the b-box modem before anything else. Only once this device is working, should you switch on the others.
   • Also, be sure to fully charge your smartphone or mobile phone beforehand, so you can continue using it during the period without electricity.

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2. Can you still call, surf and text on your mobile?
   • Calling and texting is an absolute priority. During the first two hours of a power outage, you can normally continue calling and texting on your smartphone. This is because all antennas have batteries. Their capacity is limited however, so after two hours you may no longer be able to call or text with your mobile phone.
   • Mobile surfing is still possible during the first 15 minutes of a power outage. After that, it will gradually become more difficult. So, don't count on remaining accessible via WhatsApp, Messenger and other services.

   But try to only send texts during the power outage, and avoid calling or mobile surfing as much as possible. That way, we can save the antenna batteries and emergency calls remain possible for a longer period of time.

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3. Can you still call, surf and watch TV at home?
   • Do you have a traditional telephone line, and can you call without the mains power? In that case, calling on your landline shouldn't be a problem during the first four hours of a power outage.
   • Surfing via your b-box and watching TV via the decoder will not be possible however. These devices will immediately fail without electricity, and they don't have a battery.

   If possible, download any music you want to listen to via Spotify beforehand. And perhaps your favorite Netflix series too, so you can watch it during the power outage.

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4. Can my alarm system still connect to the alarm center?

   Of course, provided you have a traditional Proximus telephone line (PSTN) or set up a mobile connection via SMS or 2G. The alarm system must also have a backup battery of course. The telephone line will continue working for about four hours, and the mobile connection for about two hours.

   If your alarm system sends signals to the alarm center via a 3G or 4G connection, it will only work for about 15 minutes after the start of the power outage.

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5. What happens in case of an emergency?
   • It will be possible to call the emergency services with a smartphone or mobile phone provided the batteries in both your device and the transmission antenna in your area are still working. If this is not the case, calls to the number 112 will be transferred to the antenna of another mobile operator whose signal you can still receive. If those antennas also fail, you won't be able to reach the emergency services.
   • On your landline, you can reach the emergency services during a power outage provided you hear a dialing tone when you pick up the phone. This is normally the case up to four hours after the start of a power outage.

   The best way of getting help in an emergency is therefore via a traditional, corded landline phone.

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Do you still have questions about the impact of a potential power outage?

Check our special support page