How to get a decent master socket installed in old property

So here's my situation: I've just moved house (although I've moved to another house that's actually close enough to be connected to the same exchange as the last one!), so I can still get FTTC for my internet. So far, so good.

The thing is, the BT socket setup in my last house was awesome. I phoned up my ISP to discuss this and apparently what I had last time was called a "managed install", which Openreach no longer offer.

Here's a picture of what it looked like:
http://game-point.net/misc/old-dsl-setup.jpg

It sounds like, frankly, I lucked out when I got this setup installed. It was installed as part of a "managed install", which I'm told is no longer offered. The Openreach engineer who came to fit the VDSL filter and modem even wall-mounted the provided modem for me! My ISP's rep said he'd never heard of an engineer doing that before... and that because there are no more managed installs, they don't even provide these modems anymore. If I'd known that, I'd have taken the thing with me when I moved!!

This setup worked perfectly for me. You can see with the modern "Openreach MK2" faceplate, it had the VDSL filter built-in and I could plug the VDSL modem into the appropriate socket on that faceplate, and then extend that master socket with a wire coming out from below over to the faceplate I installed beside it to handle both the Ethernet and phone connections, from which I ran Ethernet and phone wires upstairs (which is where I really want these sockets as my office is there).

So now, my new house. The master socket looks like this:
http://game-point.net/misc/new-dsl-setup.jpg

It was no doubt installed in ~1983 when the house was built, and it is ancient. So, I already can't get the cool wall-mounted modem that I had before and have to use the Technicolor one provided. Fair enough, but I *really* want a more modern master socket faceplate than that, and one with a VDSL filter built-in like I had before. For one thing, I don't even see how you can add a phone extension with that old socket as there are no holes in the plastic faceplate to allow an extension wire to come out of it.

So I would've expected I could just put in an order with Openreach to install a modern master socket with VDSL filter built in. But not so, according to my ISP's rep. The best you can do is either get a new one installed if the current master is damaged (guess you're SOL if it actually works!) or request a master socket relocation. The trouble with that is that there's actually no guarantee that the engineer will put a more modern master socket in - they could just relocate the ancient old master socket that's there now! Whatsmore, there's also no guarantee that the new socket they install will have a VDSL filter built-in.

So my question is: how can I force Openreach to install a decent new master socket? I'm willing to pay for this to be done so frankly I'm somewhat amazed that there doesn't seem to be a way to guarantee that they will do it. Does anyone have any tips as to how to get them to install a new master socket with VDSL filter built-in? I really don't want to have to deal with this ancient one as I then want to add a voice line extension from a new modern master socket. It does seem absurd that there is no way to guarantee that they will actually do this...?

Does anyone have some insider information about Openreach policy, and what would make them do what I want?

And if anyone knows of a forum where people are more likely to know the answer to my questions, please also suggest said forum(s) here.

Thanks!

1. Is this the only phone socket in the property?

https://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/products/prici...

Indicates a charge of £25 plus a visit charge, but that is waived if visiting for some other reason. Think that is of the order of £120

Most providers won't book it, but an engineer is still possible with a FTTC install but costs £99+VAT and they install the modem supplied by the ISP.
https://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/products/prici...

Conversion of hard-wired/master socket to Linebox

What is a "Linebox" in this context?

Line box basically means a modern master socket with the removable faceplate, and if fitted today it would be the 5C variant, i.e. slightly curvy and thus a slightly different filter faceplate needed

So if I got an Openreach guy round to fit it, would he fit the VDSL filter faceplate? I was told by my ISP that it was down to the discretion of the engineer as to whether he did!

No guarantees on what they'd do, if its just a master and no extensions nothing to be gained compared to using a microfilter.

In which case you'd have to buy the faceplate yourself and fit it.

I asked the OR engineer nicely saying I didn't trust the ISP supplied dangly microfilter and he was happy enough to get a MK4 faceplate from his van to use with my NTE5C. Depends on the mood/temperament of your engineer and general availability of tea and biscuits.

Yeah. I actually have a bit of a fault on the line so my ISP is going to raise that - they advised me to ask the engineer (nicely) whether he could fit a new NTE5C socket with MK4 VDSL filter while he was fixing things. Here's hoping he's not a jobsworth...

For future reference, by the way, I just found an extremely informative video on the differences between NTE5A and NTE5C here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkFMfB-DYmQ

It's recommended viewing.

Just to add some context to this, if you don't have any extensions, the speed should be about the same with this and a dangley filter as with a new socket. In this instance I would just put a cupboard or something in front of it and have the router on top - hiding the mess.

If you have extensions the speeds may suffer. In this case it is worth getting things setup and seeing how the speeds are. If they are real bad and fall below the ISPs estimates they'll have to send an engineer out.

AFAIK there is no way to force an ISP to upgrade a socket which works fine but engineers commonly will replace these to modern ones when they attend for future faults (if they occur). Also if the property is star wired, they may upgrade it for free whilst resolving the issue, again this is only identified as part of a fault usually.