Quick one for Openreach Types...

OK, I've been helping my neighbour out with trying to get broadband working, I can see what's up, I just need a quick bit of guidance.

The existing incoming cable comes underground into the house, to a point where there's an access hatch, and there is a small junction box attached to the end of the cable. From there, TWO internal cables are attached to the incoming. One leads to a master socket (BT NTE5 type, but with a blank front), while the other leads directly to two extensions at the far end of the house.

So, unplug the faceplate, and half the house wiring stays live. That's not good.

It's all BT-brand stuff, and done very tidily and obviously all at the same time, so I reckon the last engineer to visit (about 2 years back) has taken the easy way out when moving their master socket, and just wired everything at the access hatch in a star\series combo, instead of crawlling under the floor to run a wire to & from the master's location.

Now, if it was my house I know what I would do, but it's not my house and I don't want to risk landing my neighbour with a bill. So the question is,

How should we approach this with BT? My opinion is to just phone up voice faults and say that we are trying to add an extension, but when we unplug the faceplate the extensions stay live. That do it?

My take is that this is a wiring fault, rather than a BB fault.

"so I reckon the last engineer to visit (about 2 years back) has taken the easy way out when moving their master socket, and just wired everything at the access hatch in a star\series combo"
They may have done but they may have fed the extension back down the same same cable on a spare pair to the junction box and then wired it off to the extension.
If its an NTE5 type master then removing the faceplate should disconnect the extension.
If the broadband isnt working at all then your ISP should be able to arrange a visit

Yes ringing voice faults is prob the best approach. There are no end of NTE masters fitted like this. I have to say I am supprised you just don't disconnect everything, leaving just the master and prove what the line can support and then rewire, but I take your point, It's not your line.

"They may have done but they may have fed the extension back down the same same cable on a spare pair to the junction box and then wired it off to the extension. "

I thought they might have too, but no. deffo star-wired it, I checked for that. You can even see where the have added a few feet of new cable to the incorrect branch, and then connected onto an older cable a few feet under the floor, again using a BT-brand junction box.

"If its an NTE5 type master then removing the faceplate should disconnect the extension."

(edit, rephrased) Some extensions stay live, even with the faceplate removed. That's why I thought it should be an Openreach fix.

The BB does *just* work with the faceplate unplugged, and filters fitted to the phones on the incorrect branch, which would complicate things.

As I say - it's wired fundamentally wrong, and there's every indication it's a BT job, so I think that's the best way. And believe me systemx, I was SOOOOO tempted to just rip the lot out! As I say, if it was my house I would have.

I think I will write a quick note to leave with the (elderly) neighbours with my EIN on explaining what I found (not that it's tricky or owt), and get the fault booked using the "not all extensions disconnect" explanation.

Edited by deleted (Mon 19-May-08 11:13:50)

I susspect they may be better off with you just ripping it out as the OR tech will likely just do that and leave the NTE wired or charge to correct it, leaving them to argue the toss with their CP.
Dosnt sound like an easy fix unless they do what I suggested and utilise the existng wiring ..

That's my thought rogan - they aren't knowledgable enough to argue if the guy that comes out tries it on. Unlikely round my way as far as I can tell, I got someone out for a voice fault the other week and he was pretty helpful.

(Dons boilersuit)
(Sidles towards cables, whistling. Nothing to see here.)