Prompted by power outages caused by Hurricane Irene and the unexpected snowstorm that hit the northeast last October that affected thousands for days and even weeks, Consumer Reports investigated the reliability of home phone systems technology and identified ways consumers can stay in touch during a power outage.Likely motivated to cut home expenses, more and more consumers are switching over to VoIP and fiber-optic phone systems. CR says that unlike traditional copper lines, the newer phone systems may lack the ability to maintain service indefinitely, which can leave consumers without access to friends, family or 911 in emergency situations. The full report is available at http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/voip-fiber-phone-outage.html.