BT master socket + re-wiring + i-plate

[Allan]

Sister has some terrible phone wiring (1950s vintage) with a whole series of what look like small junction boxes and a hideous bell box (mostly falling off the wall now). It's been fine up to now, but she's finally moved into the 21st century with internet at homeetc, and perhaps it's about time to bite the bullet.

I'm thinking about getting the master socket moved (and get rid of all the hideous wiring into the bargain) to facilitate t'internet. I believe only BT can move the master socket. Am I correct in thinking it's a standard call-out charge for moving the master socket?

If we get BT out once to move the master socket, I'm thinking I might as well get them to put an i-plate (or filter or or whatever it's called now) on , and get rid of the 40 years of spaghetti wiring.

Will BT view this as three separate chargeable events (master socket, old wiring, i-plate). Are there any good/better ways to deal with this. Thoughts/comments welcome.

TIA

Allan x-post uk.telecom & uk.d-i-y

[The Natural Philosopher]

You believe wrong.

its a length of cat 5 crimped onto existing drop wire and simply wire it into new master socket.

If its done well BT wont bat an eyelid.

Openreach hacve better things to do than prat about with houise wireing.

DIY.

[Graham.]

what look like small junction boxes and a hideous

she's finally moved into the 21st century with internet

hideous wiring into the bargain) to facilitate

thinking it's a standard call-out charge for moving

get them to put an i-plate (or filter or or whatever

wiring, i-plate). Are there any good/better ways to

I am sure you have got better things to spend the 3 figure sum on that BT will charge for this simple job, so do it yourself.

Is the existing master socket one of the modern NTE5 type, with the removable faceplate? Move it if necessary and fit a filtered faceplate from Solwise or Clarity.it

What you *don't* want is an i-plate, that's not the same thing, its basically a bell-wire filter that plugs in between the NTE5 body and the faceplate, and can improve ADSL in cases where the end-user hasn't got the confidence to make any actual wiring changes.

[Dave Liquorice]

Physically any one can move it. Technically any one with a bit of common sense can move it. Legally only BT can move it.

This is always assuming that the installation has a master socket. It sounds very old and untouched it might not have. If it hasn't it's probably worth getting BT to come and fit one, this might not attract their full normal call out charge and should up date their records. They do have (incomplete) records of premisis without master sockets and if they come out for a fault and find one where there shouldn't be one they may charge for "regularisation of illicit master socket".

Get some CW1308 (round *telephone* cable, not flat telephone cable, CAT5, or the very similar looking round alarm cable) and wire it in with proper telephone junction boxes etc and ...

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If you're competent, just do the whole thing yourself. I've never heard of any prosecution for this.

I replaced and moved my master socket to a totally different place - actually in the cellar which was a convenient place for the router. Some time later BT replaced the exterior wiring to it and nothing was said.

[PeterC]

That's interesting. I'd like to replace my 25-year-old socket with a 'proper' one but have always been afraid to. It would have to be a total replacement, including the back box. I've tried to get a genuine, old BT box but can't find one anywhere, then just the plate could be replaced. Looks as if I could get away with it.

[Chris Bartram]

Indeed. As soemone else said, use the right cable (CW1308) and bits and you'll be fine. Try to minimise the time you have the master socket disconnected as it may trip the auto-test from the exchange.

[A.Lee]

Ebay, around £7 delivered. I fitted one this week, came with the jointing tool and instructions. Dead simple. Just 2 wires in, and 3 out. If you do go ahead, the incoming wires are marked as A and B. You need to keep these in the right position. Otherwise, it is idiot proof.

Alan.

[John Weston]

If it is 1950s wiring, then you will need to convert the old master socket to the new style NTE5 with the removable lower faceplate. This is the part that you remove to install the master faceplate ADSL filter that is necessary to filter off the ASDL signal from your in-house phone wiring. Don't even think about using the alternative plug- in filters before each telephone apparatus if you have what sounds like old in-house wiring...

If you are competent you may prefer to install the NTE5 yourself. If you make a mess and "find something broken...", then you will probably pay the same £125 call out + 1hr work Openreach charge as if you got them in to do it anyway. Openreach won't normally work on your in-house wiring these days because that is your responsibility. You may have to replace this anyway, because it may not be the required solid-core wire twisted pair. DON'T use the commonly available, flat, phone extension cables (or burglar-alarm wire) since these aren't twisted-pair so may pick up noise that could impact your ADSL speed.

When you install the faceplate ADSL filter, you have to remove any I-Plate since it is redundant. They are designed so you can't fit both to the master socket anyway. A good tip is to remove the ring wire connection going to your in-house wiring from pin-3 of the master socket faceplate. If you do find a phone that doesn't ring after this modification, ask here again for the fix. This tip is a better fix than bothering the I-plate anyway.

You get the ADSL filter yourself and connect all your in- house wiring to the back of it before you plug it into the "Test socket" on the new NTE5You can get these from here:

(others are available). Here is a good read before you start:

[Andy Wade]

There's no continuous testing that would detect an open line, and the routine overnight tests won't find a missing NTE either.

[Tim Streater]

Why three out?

[Andy Burns]

Also, don't bend bend the incoming wires into a 'U' or 'J' shape to hook them around the screw terminal, BT engineers do not do this, it's a giveaway if they find one where the wires aren't left straight.

[Andy Burns]

Historically UK phones needed the third wire (either to stop the tinkle when replacing the receiver, or to ring at all) nowadays most phones work without it, and it can sometimes improve broadband speed if you leave off pin 3, worth trying without first.

[Roger Mills]

If it's 1950s vintage, there won't be a master socket of any sort - the phones will be hard-wired in!

[Tim Streater]

Exactly, so with any modern phone two wires suffices. I had the bell wire removed here and our ADSL line speed went up from some 3.5Mbps to around 7.36Mbps.

Only snag is this DG835Gv5 seems to want to leave only about 7db of noise margin, and I'm sure things would go better with 9 or so. I keep seeming to have to reload stuck web pages.

[fred]

I agree with that but I'm sure I've seen the conductor bent double before insertion and clamped on one side like a single wire. Was I dreaming? Was it one I'd done myself and forgotten about?

[Bob Eager]

We moved into the house here to find that. Put the NTE right next to the 'lozenge' where the line came in and just wired it up. BT never cared.

[Roger Mills]

There are plenty of places where you can buy compatible NTE5's - unless you can find a way to blag one from Openreach, as I did last week.

I had to get OR to fix a problem with the line in my holiday flat - a bad joint somewhere between my property and the exchange, so not chargeable.

When the OR bloke had fixed it, he came inside to check that the phone worked and that 17070 reported the right number. While he was there, I pointed out my old-style master and asked him how he fancied replacing it with an NTE5. He said he'd have to charge me, but that I could buy one on-line and fit it myself. He then went on to say that if I was going to fit it myself, he just might be able to make one fall off the back of his van before he departed. And that is what he did!

I shall fit it next time I'm down there - I didn't have my Krone tool with me at the time.

[Nick Leverton]

Use a voltmeter if unsure, A should be 0V and B should be -50V DC on an idle line (I think that's the right way round). Beware if somebody rings up whilst checking them, as the ringing signal is (f/x: googling) 90V AC.

Nick

[ARWadsworth]

Previous owner did it:-)