wiring

Hi, ok phone line input in our house was input by bt araound 30 years ago, our living rooms are standard size two rooms knocked into one (like this when we moved here) there is a bay window and on that window sill the bt phone line connection box sits ( as square box ), wire leads down from this to above the skirting board and then goes along the skirting (around half way around the room to the box where the broadband plugs in.

Where the wire goes from the box to the skirting around 1 foot along the wire has worn over time and they are bare, do BT or openreach or my BB phone supplier Talktalk repair worn wires free of charge ?

Sorry about the explanation but its the best way I can describe our problem.

Edited by blueboy (Fri 04-Dec-15 20:32:02)

It is likely the BT connection box will be judged the point at which the wiring hands over to your responsibility, so chances of a free repair to this wiring is low

Thank You Andrew for the advise.

Does the first box have a socket where you can plug a BT phone cable into? If it does, it is quite possibly a master socket and BT quite likely would want to likely charge for any work downstream of that. If the first box does not have a socket then it is likely a junction box and the wiring up to the next socket which I assume is a master socket is BT's responsibility. However, if they think the wiring has been damaged they may want to recover the cost from you.

What have you done to wear out the insulation? It does not wear out without something being done to it!

Pictures might be a little more useful. That will then show if it is BTs or your responsibility although I would suggest that even if it is before teh master BT would still charge for repairs.

Hi

The first box does not have a socket now, it did originally as that is where our phone was put first when we moved here, when we had broadband we wanted the socket where it is now half way around the room. When the broadband was installed by BT they blocked of that box and ran the lead along the skirting to where it is now. Thanks for the reply

Hi. where they attached the wire to the skirting board they used metal staples hammered into the skirting the split goes from the staple about 1" bare wire, its all taped up at the moment and I am a little bit worried about removing it for a picture . Thank you for the reply

The staples are unlikely to have caused the split and bare wires ... thousands of those are used daily.

I'm sure the OP didn't strip or damage the wires themselves on purpose!

After decades of redecorating and/or a hectic house with pets or whatever things do get damaged along the way

Have I suggested they did it on purpose? NO.

Even if accidental, it could still be a chargeable repair. Something there must have caused it.

This sort of job is the simplest in the world to replace the cable. It's about as difficult as wiring a plug without the risk. so why don't you DIY? If you really don't feel like doing that, I'm sure looking in the local paper or their website you can find someone who fit telephone extensions to do it. Of course when you see a BT engineer why not ask the question. For a £10 they'd probably do it as a "private". Most fit extensions on the side anyway. It's internal wiring and not BT's responsibility, so absolutely zero chance they will will do it without charging a ridiculous fee.

Edited by deleted (Sat 05-Dec-15 18:37:22)

Why don't you open each box and either describe what you find inside or take a picture. Most of the materials you need for telephone wiring can be found on ebay.

"For a £10 they'd probably do it as a "private". Most fit extensions on the side anyway."

I dont think so ! As after you have drove there spend 1/2hr + doing the job for a mere £10 . And if they find out you are down the road ! All for £10 , better to just do some OT.

Is this the only contribution you've got to make? Pointless. Whether it's £10, £20, £30 or £40 is irrelevant, as it will be far cheaper than BT. Anyway if he's working in the area, how much do you think he would charge for 10 minutes work, whilst logged in on another job?

Edited by deleted (Sat 05-Dec-15 20:16:31)

Perhaps an Openreach engineer has seen what happens to staff moonlighting. Particularly in their working hours.

Edited by RobertoS (Sat 05-Dec-15 20:22:50)

Hi

Thanks for the reply, um doesn't look straightforward to me.

http://i1027.photobucket.com/albums/y337/craigyboy1/...

Hi Thanks for the reply, picture posted wiring looks messy lol

http://i1027.photobucket.com/albums/y337/craigyboy1/...

Hi Thanks for the reply, we used to have a dog that used to love being nosey in the window mmmm

Hi Thanks for the reply, I concur


PS thank you all for the replies, appreciated

Edited by blueboy (Sat 05-Dec-15 20:37:29)

What does the damaged section look like?

Looking at your photo, it's only 2 wires to connect. You can just use a chocolate block connector to connect. Telephone cable available almost every where.
Orange from the black covered cable to solid blue on the white covered cable. Solid white from the black cover cable to white with blue tracer on the white covered. Easy easy.
It's only 48 volt on BT Cable with very, very low ampage. No risk at all.

Hi, its all tapped up so pointless to photograph, I would say the the wire looks a little stretched, hence able to tape it.

OK, it looks like BT Openreach have extended their wiring to the new location of the master socket. So the wiring up to the master socket is theirs and they should maintain it.

You can buy those jelly crimp connectors shown in your pictures on ebay, search for 'telephone wire connector'.

In reply to a post by rogerfp:

Looking at your photo, it's only 2 wires to connect. You can just use a chocolate block connector to connect. Telephone cable available almost every where.
Orange from the black covered cable to solid blue on the white covered cable. Solid white from the black cover cable to white with blue tracer on the white covered. Easy easy.
It's only 48 volt on BT Cable with very, very low ampage. No risk at all.

Chocolate block = COWBOY

and obviously an illicit piece of work that any BT Tech would immediately spot!

Chocolate block = COWBOY

and obviously an illicit piece of work that any BT Tech would immediately spot!

Completely and utterly correct.

Not only that, they are also pants at making a decent connection, HR faults aplenty.

Anyway if he's working in the area, how much do you think he would charge for 10 minutes work, whilst logged in on another job?

And what of the tracker in said engineers vehicle ??
What of the time constraints imposed on engineers by management ?

BTBert has years of experience on the job, I know the geezer, he knows his stuff.

At least I've explained how to fix the problem, instead most on here posting inane and pointless comments such as asking how it happened, photos of the damage and whinging about the type of connectors. I'm sure everyone commenting is so professional, not. Instead of criticising, why not try helping.

Edited by deleted (Sat 05-Dec-15 21:54:24)

I don't see anyone, including two Openreach engineers, criticising the DIY suggestions.

It's the suggested approach to and bribing of an Openreach engineer and making illicit payments to them that are the point in contention.

There may be some who would do the job. I'd rather have an honest one in my house. Not because I'd be worried about theft, but because I could trust him to do a professional job.

Quite apart from all that, we get a few reports every month of engineers not turning up to appointments, when many people have taken time of work and lost pay as a result. No doubt you wouldn't mind sitting at home waiting, then having to do the same another day, while a dishonest one pockets a few £20 notes.

(To the OR guys - that isn't suggesting any OR person does such things, but would be a logical consequence if the poster's suggestions worked in practice).

Edited by RobertoS (Sat 05-Dec-15 22:34:51)

No, you suggested that the OP breaches his contract with BT and undertakes an illicit modification to the BT network.

A change that could introduce another potential fault in the line and then when that is investigated a charge levied returning the installation to standard.

The request for pictures - that has confirmed the fault is on the BT side of the master and further comments suggest that damage has been caused to the cable by some means - possibly accidental. However, that can be charged to the customer.

Edited by MHC (Sat 05-Dec-15 22:46:25)

If you say so Rob. I really can't be bothered to make an issue of it. Must be a much more perfect world in Stockport than where the rest of us live.

Some Openreach engineers may have spouses or partners and children that might be a little inconvenienced if they lost their job and pension rights.

In your world maybe that isn't an issue.

In reply to a post by rogerfp:

I really can't be bothered to make an issue of it.

Then why slag off two OR men who seem to me to be much better than you?

"Better than you" How dare you? What right have you got to make personal criticism of other people in public forums.

Maybe you started it?

In reply to a post by rogerfp:

Must be a much more perfect world in Stockport than where the rest of us live.

Well Brightsparks engineer came to the house, would not touch the wiring said that has to be done be a BT engineer. He stated he would loose his job if he touched that wiring. Itis frayed around by the word wiring.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/yakidoda/larg...

Which bit of the diagram you link to would he not touch then ?

I see in the diagram you call the windowsill box as a socket. In your OP you called it a connection box. Which is it, and what is inside it? Just connectors, or master socket circuitry? (Careful how you remove the faceplate).

Hi

From the socket where the router is attached to the box on the bay window sill.

Kev

Hi

I thought originally that the box on the window was the master socket but as pointed out recently by the wife the one on the widow is a connections only that feed through to the box attached to the router which is the master socket.

Originally the one on the window sill was the master socket but many years ago that was changed by BT to be just a box that feeds through the wire to the master socket.

Kev

In reply to a post by blueboy:

a box that feeds through the wire

I'm sorry but I don't understand what this means. Is there a telephone socket here? How does the wire to the master socket connect to the wire coming in from outside?

Ummm. I'd like photos of the outside and inside of the socket you are using. (Upload them somewhere and post a link is how it's done).

It's possible that the windowsill socket is still the master but fitted with an NTE5B faceplate, or if it's an older type just a blanking plate. If it is then there is nothing to stop you having the wire between the sockets replaced by anyone competent.

If where you currently have the router is the one and only socket, then yes, they shouldn't be touching that cable.

Unless it is an extension from the "master socket" on the windowsill, rather than a replacement.

Where the router plugs in is certainly not an extension from a master socket on the window sill. There was a master socket once on the window sill, but there isn't any more.

If you look at the photos posted, it is clear that this is where the external telephone line comes in and there is no socket on that box attached to it. The white covered cable carries the line out through the bottom, along the skirting board and to the current master socket location.

As several others have said, all the wiring between where the cable comes into the house in the box on the window sill and the master socket is BT's to repair.

Edited by caffn8me (Tue 19-Jan-16 00:56:39)

I forgot the 5 December pic, was thinking we had only had the recent diagram.

Yeah, that certainly answers my question.

Well yes, it's not entirely clear from his posts or diagram is it.

Up to and including the Master Socket is BT's responsibility. Call them and get them to sort it out. It should be free or a nominal fee as it should be an half hour job.

You could do it yourself as it is a fairly easy job but you would be infringing on someone else's property.

Hi

Thank You, that is what I thought as well, appreciated. Also thank you all who have contributed to this post, I appreciate you all for your time.

Kev