BT Master Socket Issues

Hi,

I hope someone can help and please excuse my ignornace on these issues.

I have ADSL through Orange over a standard BT Line (rental is with IDNET). I've had this for years with no problems. Around a year ago the broadband started periodically dropping off an dthen reconnecting. Very quickly the speed reduced significantly. Plugging a phone directly into the socket revealed a crackling noise on the line. Orange replaced all of my equipment for me but the problem remained.

I suspected this could be because of the way the BT wire entered the flat - it basically came through under the window through a bored-out hole along with the TV aerial cable. This looked like it had all got a bit rotten and I thought the logical thing to do would be to drill through the wall and bring both wires into the flat directly, without having to bend them in the previous awkward way, which also left them more exposed to the elements. Spoke to my landlord and he had this addressed with his builders whilst they were doing some other works. Came home to a neat, tidy job last year with a new phone socket on the wall ready to use.

However not shortly after the sam eproblem occured. Having done some research it looks as though the new socket is not actually a master socket at all and I have no idea if it has been wired properly. I have uploaded two photos to try and help describe the situation better:

Pic 1 - how it's wired up

Pic 2 - all the available wires

I would like to solve this situation myself (I understand the risks in terms of not using BT) without going back to the landlord. I have read some guides online but really first of all I would like a better idea of what I'm dealing with here. can I keep teh existing socket and rewire it? Do i need to buy an NTE5 instead and wirre that up? What tools do I need for the job?

Apologies for the length of this post but I really would be so grateful for any guidance.

Many thanks!

No, that doesn't look like a master; it should have a yellow ring capacitor inside it.

What is that other white box next to it? A TV coaxial socket?

Does the BT Quiet Line Test, 17070 Opt 2, work on your line?

If you are getting any noise oh phone with ADSL discon'ed then you have a voice fault, which could affect BB, and it must be reported to your voice provider (you have no direct business with BT).

I would echo Xray's comments. If it was the master, it would have more gizmos within, and (one would think) the wiring would conform to spec (orange and blue to 2 and 5).

I would hunt around for another socket. You'll know it when you see it (inside).

that's internal wiring, is there something between that socket and the incoming line ?

It does look like it may be a non-BT master by the yellow capacitor hiding under the black cover but visible through the slot near the word Bottom ?

Edited by yarwell (Sat 10-Mar-12 15:20:39)

Agreed, the give area is the white outer sheathing just visible at the back of the socket.

In otherwords there is a joint somewhere between this socket and the external wiring.

if the old wiring has been straigtened out, it is possible that has caused a crack in one of the copper cores, but that is pure speculation.

Hi all,

Thanks for the responses so far.

I have taken a couple more photos that essentially illustrate the path that the phone line takes:

The wall of my flat where the BT line enters (the other cable is coaxial)

The cable then runs down the extrnal wall with cables from the other two flats to this junction box in the basement

I assume it then ultimately ends up here where it says 'Post Office Telecoms'

When I reported the issue to IDnet they ran a check on lin eand said there was no obvious problem coming back from the report. They have offered to schedule in a BT engineer but my concern is that, even though they'll be able to fix it, they'll likely charge a fair amount because they'll argue that the fault was no casued by them.

Any further advice is greatly appreciated.

Cheers

the wiring would conform to spec (orange and blue to 2 and 5).

But that is a correct pair used, shown in the photo, Though more usual to see white/blue - blue/white used as the first pair. The builders have just used a non standard NTE.

Best bet would be to have Orange arrange an LLU SFI visit. There will be a fair few metres of wiring between you and the exchange, too hopeful to presume it would just be the bit you can see which might be at fault.

You have more chance of being charged if you just report it as a voice fault via IDNET.

Thnaks very much ofr the advice - hopefully Orange will be forthcoming with this. I'll post any updates

Cheers