Just had a thought about "A few years ago an OpenReach engineer replaced my master telephone socket in the bedroom from a "Contract" type socket to an NTE5 free of charge. The lounge socket is still of a "Contract" type but is definitely wired as a 3 wire slave.

I've tried a BT corded phone plugged straight into the built in NTE5 connection socket and the fault is still there".

Do you mean he fitted an NTE5 that looks like the picture on this page? If so, which "built-in NTE5 connection socket" did you use? If you just removed the lower faceplate, you hadn't reach the Test socket. See MrSaffron's description of how to get to it.

It's unlikely it will make any difference, but you can never be sure.

NTE�s a few years back had a bell wire choke built in ...

there�ll be a small cylinder near the extension terminals on the front plate.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

NTE�s a few years back had a bell wire choke built in ...

there�ll be a small cylinder near the extension terminals on the front plate.

Yes Zarjaz one of those. (The plastic structure looks like the outline of a vertically mounted choke)
My NTE5 doesn't have the intermediate plate as shown on Mr Saffons site. (Personally I'm glad I don't have one of those)

Plus yes it is a speech fault and OpenReach are coming out again on Thursday.

I was concerned about charges because PlusNet's tests deemed the line as OK, even though they could hear the crackling. Then when the engineer called he initated the tests at the exchange via his mobile and again the line was reading as OK even though it was crackling away.

Even though I was told by PlusNet that calls to them are recorded , It crossed my mind if they had scope to record a noisy line or even just acknowledge that they had heard it? Then, could/would this confirmation of a noisy line be able to be passed on to OpenReach aswell as them aware that the Telco (Plusnet) had gone through the standard faultfinding checklist. I can't help think it would help in avoiding unnecessary charges. Of course, the line might not be noisy at the time of reporting it to your Telco - but a thought anyway.

Edited by Vorlon (Tue 08-May-18 22:35:43)

I was concerned about charges because PlusNet's tests deemed the line as OK, even though they could hear the crackling. Then when the engineer called he initated the tests at the exchange via his mobile and again the line was reading as OK even though it was crackling away.

Openreach drums an ethic of 'If the pair quality test (the one the engineer ran) is OK, then that's that' when of course the truth lies elsewhere .......

Even though I was told by PlusNet that calls to them are recorded , It crossed my mind if they had scope to record a noisy line or even just acknowledge that they had heard it? Then, could/would this confirmation of a noisy line be able to be passed on to OpenReach aswell as them aware that the Telco (Plusnet) had gone through the standard faultfinding checklist. I can't help think it would help in avoiding unnecessary charges. Of course, the line might not be noisy at the time of reporting it to your Telco - but a thought anyway.

You'd like to think so, but I expect it would end up in all manner of disputes.

I've been expecting someone to be coming out this afternoon from OpenReach, but as I haven't received any texts from the engineer as I did last time to notify me of his progress, I've just given Plusnet a call.

Apparently although I was told someone would call, the "notes" apparently suggest that OpenReach need to use a Field engineer and that the fault is outside the property - so no need for me to be here. (Although that isn't an issue as such)

EDIT: Call from assigned Engineer to tell me someone has already effectively swapped my copper line over from particular panel/equipment in the exchange and he was going to check out line on Exchange side again.
So I'm not sure why he got another job on my line if someone had already done additional work in the exchange. Neither am I sure if the first engineers report instigated seperate work to be done at the exchange, or my second call to Plusnet (fault continuining) got someone to check out the exchange based on the first engineers report.

Nevertheless I have been really impressed with PlusNet's support and also impressed with OpenReach's quick response.
One thing I have noticed since the last fault issue I had some several years ago, is that communication between OpenReach and the End User is very good and much more informative.

Hopefully my line will be sorted now, although it was intermittent.

Edited by Vorlon (Thu 10-May-18 19:57:39)

PlusNet update to me today reads:-

*INTERNAL*
Main Fault Location: LN (Fault located in local network)
Fault Code: NDT (No Dial Tone)
Clear Code: 51.3
Clear Message: Remote Clear