Battery Backup for IP Phones

[cw4u]

We're looking at doing an eventual IP phone upgrade and I'm trying to figure out how much time should I allocate to run on batteries? How much time can you guys handle on battery power?

I've already got a UPS in place for my server and main switches. I plan on getting an additional UPS just for the 1 PoE switch and the modem. We should be running around 18 phones off the one switch.

[SterlingAug]

You may want to look into refurb UPSes here:

www dot refurbups dot com

[EricE]

We got a rack mounted cyperpower 1500va UPS - it can run our (rather large) server, all our switches, the cable modem for the Internet, the cable modem for the VOIP phones (don't ask - it's Comcast!), our Allworx call processor and about 60 phones for 45 minutes. So far that's been enough to ride out all but one power outage for the last two years. It just really depends on your load. And if you want more runtime, many UPS units can accept add-on battery packs.

Note the UPS I linked to has true sine wave output - very important for electronic gear! And it's also under $700 - I have seen it on sale for under $400 - Provantage.com seems to have them on sale all the time. They have several CyperPower units on sale now as a matter of fact.

And I like these FAR more than the current APC ups's. I've had just about every new APC in the last two years fail My last APC I got is going back to costco, and thankfully Costco has CyperPower again so I'll happily swap it out.