Key Takeaways: What You Need to Know
VoIP systems rely on both internet and electricity — without power, your phones will go down unless you have backup systems in place.
Load shedding can lead to missed calls, lost sales, and customer dissatisfaction if no contingency is in place.
A basic UPS and LTE failover setup can keep small teams connected during outages.
Mobile VoIP apps and cloud PBX platforms let staff remain reachable even without office internet or power.
Failover routing and auto-attendants ensure a professional call experience for customers, even when your office is offline.
Larger businesses should invest in multi-layered resilience, including dual internet links, inverter/UPS systems, and redundant call routing.
Being prepared means your business stays contactable, competitive, and trustworthy—even in the dark.
Load shedding has become an unfortunate norm, more South African businesses are asking the same question: What happens to my VoIP phone system when the power goes out?
Unlike legacy landlines or mobile phones, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services rely entirely on power and internet infrastructure. So if either your fibre or power goes down, so does your phone line—unless you’ve planned ahead.
This article explores the impact of load shedding on VoIP, and more importantly, how to keep your business communications stable, professional, and responsive, even when the lights go off.
Understanding the Problem: How VoIP Works
VoIP converts voice into digital data packets and transmits them over the internet. Your call depends on:
A stable internet connection (fibre, LTE, fixed wireless, etc.)
Power to keep your router, modem, and VoIP devices running
Cloud-hosted PBX or SIP trunks, if you’re using an advanced business solution
If any of these fail during load shedding, your entire phone system could go offline—and with it, customer calls, sales opportunities, and support channels.
Real-World Impacts of Load Shedding on VoIP Systems
| Impact Area | Problem Description |
|---|---|
| Power Outage | No electricity to power ONTs, routers, modems, or VoIP desk phones. |
| Internet Drop | Fibre or fixed wireless links go offline unless supported by a UPS or failover. |
| Cloud PBX Access | Without internet, users can’t connect to hosted PBX systems, interrupting all services. |
| Call Centre Downtime | Agents are unable to make or receive calls, impacting customer service and operations. |
| Missed Leads | Inbound calls may go unanswered or hit dead air, causing lost sales opportunities. |
How Businesses Are Responding
1. Battery Backup (UPS Systems)
Install an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for:
Fibre ONT (Optical Network Terminal)
Router/modem
Switches and VoIP phones
🔌 This can keep your internet and phones running for 2–6 hours depending on your UPS setup.
2. LTE or 5G Failover
Use an LTE/5G router or SIM-enabled backup to switch your internet over when fibre goes down:
Automatically fails over to mobile broadband
Combined with a UPS, this keeps you online through multiple stages of load shedding
3. VoIP Mobile Apps
Cloud-based VoIP providers offer softphone apps:
Let staff receive calls directly on mobile devices
Works over LTE or WiFi
Your number and caller ID stay consistent
This is particularly useful for remote workers or field staff.
4. Auto-Attendant and Failover Routing
Set up a cloud-based auto-attendant or call routing plan:
If your main number goes offline, calls are redirected to mobile numbers or voicemail
Keeps customer experience consistent
Allows for different routing rules based on time of day, agent availability, etc.
5. Cloud PBX with Multi-Device Support
Choose a hosted PBX that supports simultaneous ringing across multiple devices:
Ring desk phone, softphone, and mobile app all at once
If one channel is down, others stay up
Mitigation Strategies Based on Business Size
| Business Type | Recommended Load Shedding Strategy |
|---|---|
| Solo Entrepreneur | VoIP mobile app + LTE router + small UPS |
| Small Office (1–10) | UPS for router/ONT + LTE backup + cloud PBX with call routing |
| Medium Business (10–50) | UPS for network + dual WAN (fibre + LTE) + multi-device VoIP apps |
| Call Centres / Enterprise | Redundant internet links, full UPS/inverter setup, multi-location failover |
Regulatory Insight: Why It Matters for Business Continuity
VoIP numbers—especially non-geographic 087s and toll-free 0800s—must remain accessible for legal, operational, and compliance reasons. If your customer support line goes dark, it can:
⚠️ Breach SLA agreements
⚠️ Affect POPIA compliance
❌ Damage brand reputation
Failing to maintain business continuity during load shedding not only hurts customer service but may also expose you to regulatory scrutiny, especially in sectors like finance, healthcare, and telecoms.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Let Load Shedding Silence Your Business
Load shedding is a fact of life in South Africa. But downtime doesn’t have to be. With the right mix of connectivity redundancy, device-level backup power, and cloud communication tools, your VoIP solution can remain fully operational—even when the grid is not.
The businesses that stay reachable when others go dark will be the ones customers remember and trust.
