FTTC install - Filters and no faceplate

Hi all,

The engineer who came along to do my install had a faceplate but didn't install it.

This was due to my socket not being the right size (it's a double as it also has tv aerial on the other half).

Therefore he just installed the service with a filter.

Can someone advise if this is okay or do I really need to get BT back and put a faceplate on there?

No, I'm sorry, but you have been stiffed there. Ring up the ISP you ordered it through and raise a complaint.

As above,
That socket isnt/shouldnt be your master, so youve been done on this occasion

It could be that the OP or previous occupier had taken the master off and replaced it with an aftermarket master module in a twin gang back box with capacity for 4 modules on the front plate.

Can you provide a picture of the front and rear of the Master, along with the TV aerial socket.

Could he have one of those modular things we saw a few of a few years ago in new builds? Nothing like an Openreach NTE5 and hugely messy to replace, in that a smart d�cor would be ruined, as well as TV and possibly power also needing replacement?

They were MK ones like this, but a google for modular telephone sockets found several, this being one, and here's a Clarity one.

Edit - also what is done about external NTE5s?

Edited by RobertoS (Thu 24-Oct-13 09:27:33)

Snap, except I believe some new builds have them as original equipment. Openreach wouldn't even have seen them when connecting the premises to the network.

Maybe but the original requirement were for a "separate" Master provision and that type of multi-service provision was excluded. If it is, the the OP has no reason for a complaint and he will need to take action to resolve it. It could be that there are two modules in a single back box - how could a master faceplate be installed on one of those without losing the aerial connection?

Solution is simple. Remove faceplate and modules (leaving master connected). Remove backbox, and replace with a TWIN (not dual). Obtain two single facpelates. Install Phone Master in one, TV aerial in the other.

Contact BT and get them to come and install the master to one side of the twin backbox.

The OP isn't complaining. Just asked if it is OK. Answer, yes as long as happy with the look of the dangly filter .

I accept it isn't a pukka Openreach installation, but if it works, does it matter? We will meet far worse soon .

The OP's other option at the time was to abort the installation, possibly incurring a £100+ charge, until the work you described, (which may not be feasible), had been carried out. There is no way an OR engineer would have done a satisfactory job with a fully recessed NTE5 socket.

Edited by RobertoS (Thu 24-Oct-13 09:44:03)

The comment about complaint was is response to Zarjaz's post.

As for whether it is OK - what about any extensions - either known and used or just there connected to the master. I have seen one - unused, where teh cable to it was almost 100m long and there was a great notch in the graph showing bit loading.

Cannot see any reason why an OR Tech would not do a good job on a recessed back box.

From the pictures and one of the specifications I imagine none of them have ring wires, so I don't think the presence of extensions will matter.

Not the ring wire that causes the issues but "Bridged Taps" - basically unterminated pairs coming off the circuit before the filter. They can be "tuned circuits" resulting in high attenuation at certain frequencies.

The key is to find out what sort of speeds the user has...

We need to avoid becoming the place that makes people start to believe there is only one way to do things. Many different ways will work, yes we know the best solution, but sometimes you have to accept less than perfect due to various factors.

Hi all,

An update for you!

BT sent an engineer out today to fix this...
he installed a proper faceplate and did some tests on the line which found that some cables were being used for more than they were meant to.
I don't quite understand but he said something about the broadband and dial tone were going down the same cable and then those cables were also going off somewhere else which was introducing a big loss of signal.

anyways!

Before the fix I was getting:
58meg at the most down
10 meg at the most up
latency to 8.8.8.8 was like 45ms

now I am getting:
76 meg down
19 meg up
latency to 8.8.8.8 is down to 20.

Much happier with this!

So it looks as if I was right. The lazy installer bodged it, and left bridge taps, hence the increased speed once the proper install was done.

Since it is very clear how detrimental extension wiring is an FTTC service, you have wonder why they are going the self install route ???

But think how much less backhaul and interfacing gear will be needed .