That is correct, the first phone line is still working, its the second pair two wires that were cut and need replaced.

Will having a new cable fitted inprove my FTTC speeds, the cable there is 25 years old.

Edited by deleted (Mon 14-Nov-11 17:49:38)

yes Rob we can pull a new cable through the duct but only if there is duct there !

btbert,

Is it a single length of two pairs between the premises and the cabinet via underground ducting? If so can a damaged pair be repaired or does the entire length of cable between the premises and the cabinet have to be replaced?

In reply to a post by Hellish:

Will having a new cable fitted inprove my FTTC speeds, the cable there is 25 years old.

Probably not, unless it is aluminium.

As btbert suggests, it may not be ducted. Particularly at 25 years old, (which I hadn't seen as you edited it in). Does it run visibly anywhere from underground, so that perhaps a short section of it could be replaced? Where did the line 2 wire get cut?

It is difficult without seeing the installation, but it does sound like a 'direct in ground' feed, so as Bert said, they may be having to get the civils gone for new duct and cable.

'Course if the contractor noused up the cable butt in the BT66 o/s the premises, then that highlights even more, how they are a poor investment for Openreach.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

In reply to a post by Hellish:

Will having a new cable fitted inprove my FTTC speeds, the cable there is 25 years old.

Probably not, unless it is aluminium.

As btbert suggests, it may not be ducted. Particularly at 25 years old, (which I hadn't seen as you edited it in). Does it run visibly anywhere from underground, so that perhaps a short section of it could be replaced? Where did the line 2 wire get cut?

The cable runs to a bt manhole which is just accross the street from my property. The guy who was fitting the phone line, before the cable broke, was working in there. I had a look in there and there where about 5 gray tubes which I assume go to each property. I take it they are the ducts.

My cabinet is around 500 meters away.

Still no sign on openreach, I hope today I see some activity.

Here is an image to give a better picture.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/713/btcable.jpg/

Edited by deleted (Tue 15-Nov-11 11:57:05)

Zarjaz,

Sounds like there wasn't enough free length of wire to connect up to the BT66 after it broke somewhere - I've got 2 pairs of single core within one outer casing coming from underground entering the BT66 ('T' logo'), which have been there nearly 40 years, and could easily be broken if not handled carefully...

Ok so BT came around today, and said that the road would have to be dug up to my front door. There would be a hole drilled in the wall of the house for the cable to enter and the line would be at the front door.

I am not happy with that as all of my equipment is in the hallway and theres no plugs at the front door.

I said to him about trying to salvage the cable in the house, by making a hole in the wall and getting the second pair by breaking the gray cable further on down to get at the broken black wire, the second face plate would be then stuck there. This would avoid digging up the roads to get a second phone line.

HOWEVER he said it was not BTs responsability to make holes in the wall, so he said I would have to do this myself, then get the BT person around to fit the faceplate.

I will be taking my master socket off tonight to have a look at the condition of the cable to see if I can cut further on down to get at the black wire. I will post pictures up before I do any work as I am scared of breaking the first phone line and then I have no choice but to have the road dug up.

Hellish,

Best not to mess with the NTE5 master socket yourself otherwise you may end up with a very large bill!

Can you run an extension(s) from the new master NTE5 socket(s), fitted with filtered face plate(s), at the front door with possiby one or two of these, or similar, http://www.clarity.it/acatalog/adsl_extensions.html - DUAL: 1 x RJ45(ADSL/Data) & 1 x BT (two if you require broadband and phone on both lines.) ?

In reply to a post by 4M2:

Hellish,

Best not to mess with the NTE5 master socket yourself otherwise you may end up with a very large bill!

Can you run an extension(s) from the new master NTE5 socket(s), fitted with filtered face plate(s), at the front door with possiby one or two of these, or similar, http://www.clarity.it/acatalog/adsl_extensions.html - DUAL: 1 x RJ45(ADSL/Data) & 1 x BT (two if you require broadband and phone on both lines.) ?

Yes I could do that. But I am very scared that would reduce my adsl speeds. I have had extensions before and I lost 1meg sync speed.