When the power goes out, your cordless phone goes out too.

Your cordless phones (not cell phones) will NOT work if the power goes off. But if you still have landline service, a hardwired touchtone phone will still let you make phone calls. That’s because your local phone company has back-up batteries and generators to keep power going to the lines. Of course if there’s an explosion, earthquake or major catastrophe, the phone wires under or over the ground will be damaged and not even landlines will work. Your back-up landline phone should be a pushbutton phone. A dial phone should still work, but for calling-in emergencies many services will ask you to input answers via the push buttons on your phone. With a rotary phone you won’t be able to send those tones, and after a while you will most likely be disconnected. If you have an UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) you can plug your base station for your cordless phone into that and have phone use until that battery goes dead. Today a decent landline, backlit keyboard phone is available at Radio Shack for under $20. As of mid-July Radio Shack was closing out an older model push button hardwired phone for under $5 at many of their stores. (Not available online.) I was too late to get one at my local Radio Shack, but maybe you can still snag one. If not, they offer several models under $20. That's a good buy in case there's an emergency and the power goes out. You'll still be able to make phone calls and hopefully be in touch with family, friends, and emergency services. You can also find hardwired phones at Amazon.com.

www.radioshack.com .