In some emergency or power outage lighting system embodiments, control of emergency or power outage lighting functionality may be distributed over a wide area network such as a 2.5G, 3G, wireless broadband etc network where a wide area network receiver or transceiver in the lighting device may provide the ability for an external control device attached to the wide area network to communicate with and control the end device. In some embodiments, a battery powered wireless lighting module may receive power outage information or control through a wide area network connection and be able use its integrated power source based on the control received over the wide area network. In some embodiments, a battery backed wireless lighting device with a connection to external power may receive power outage information or control through a wide area network connection and be able use its integrated power source based on the control received over the wide area network. By way of an example, an externally powered battery backed wireless lighting device may be designed as a street lamp that is normally powered by an external power source (such as AC power). During a power outage the lighting device may receive a command via a 3G receiver to power the light source using the integrated battery. When the power outage is over, the lighting device may detect the return of power or receive control from the 3G network to return to using the external power source. In embodiments, an external controller that may control one or more emergency or power outage lighting devices may receive control over the wide area network. The external controller may then control the one or more lighting device to operate as required during emergency or power outage situations. By way of an example, a server installed in a commercial building may have a 3G connection and may receive commands to control the lighting installation during an emergency or power outage situation. The server may have a wired or wireless connection to the emergency or power outage lighting devices such that it may command the devices to use the embedded battery power during the emergency or power outage situation. In some embodiments, the control received over the wide area network may be to schedule the use of the embedded power source of a lighting device. In cases where a schedule power outage or rolling blackout may be common, control may be distributed to controllers or lighting devices to schedule the use of the embedded battery power throughout the lighting installation. An advantage of using a wide area network may be that it does not require any additional infrastructure to provide the communication from an external controlling source to the emergency or power outage lighting system. A power utility or other service provider may be able to control end devices during an emergency or power outage without having to alter or add to the infrastructure of an end customer. In embodiments, the power outage indication received via a wide area network may extend to any type of device requiring a power outage indication and may provide a control during a power outage for devices such as a lighting device, lighting adapter, lighting fixture, troffer, lamp or lamp base, ballast, lighting power supplies, lighting control device and the like, television, television peripheral, computer, servers, network equipment, storage devices, appliance, washer, clothes dryer, refrigerator, freezer, electric range, microwave oven, electric water heater, vacuum cleaner, cell phone charger, stereo, air conditioner, HVAC devices, electric or hybrid vehicles, electric motors, portable generators and backup power sources, uninterruptable power supplies (UPS), inverters, industrial and manufacturing machinery etc.