New telephone point?

nickyvicar

Our first telephone point is one of the old flat plate jobbies, with a square socket in the centre. A wire from under the edge goes up around a door frame to the bottom of the stairs, where one of the new type boxes with an extension out is fitted.

Basically, because the second box is in the wrong place for the downstairs phone (no shelf, no power), I would like to have a new type box at the point of entry.
Can I do it myself?
Ta
Nick

espresso

Not too sure from your descriptions exactly what you have got but this site should be helpful to you

:wave:

nickyvicar

Thanks for your post - however, the new style point is what I dont have. What I'm after is some info on how (if possible) to replace the existing point with a new one as in the article.
Cheers
Nick

grumpyoldgit_2

From the sound of it - no you cannot do that.
I think you will find that BT regulations make it an offence to tamper with the line termination (master) socket - only they can change to new master for you.
BUT I'm not sure what you mean by "old flat plate jobbies, with a square socket in the centre" if you have a digital camera PM me and i wil give you my e-mail address and have a look at it for you.
GoG

nickyvicar

OK - have done so. Its an old one, has GPO written on it, I wonder if BT would change it? Didn't they change all the old ones over at some stage?
Nick

espresso

You should presumably be paying extra on your bill for that extra extension socket, as only BT are legally allowed to connect to the older original style sockets as you have described. :eek:

The whole point of the later NTE5 master socket, is that there is a user removable bottom part. This allows extension wiring to be legally connected on the removable bottom part (user side). This also makes it easy to isolate any extension wiring from the BT side, if there are any suspected problems with the extension wiring.

I'm sure that many have replaced an older style socket with one of the new NTE5 types. as they are easy to obtain and help to eliminate a costly call-out charge, if any fault is found to be on the users side ot the master socket.

:wave:

grumpyoldgit_2

Hi

This site may help you understand what needs to be done (by BT )
http://www.adslnation.com/support/extensions.php

the graphics on this site are good - especially if the BT engineer is confused about the connections
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Infocenter/TeleA2.htm

Oh and your BT Engineer will need some bits to do the job with including an IPC tool
http://www.maplin.co.uk/searchpages/MASTER_BT_SOCKET.htm

Cheers
GoG

beefster

Your socket withGPO written on it is mearly a joint box for the oncoming cable. I would have thought this will have one cable in and one out by your decription. The first modern box should be your master socket and not an extension. This will have a ring capacitor in it which the extensions do not require (a small metal barrel shaped component). Basically move the master to where the GPO skt is and add the extensions as you require. Write down the cable colours before you attempt this so you can be sure of whats what. It is incredibly easy.

Additional extensions are dead simple too. There is a tool available to insert the cables, get one of these as using a screwdriver can damage the connectors. The readers digest home diy book has full details, have a read in smiths!

Dora_the_Explorer_5

I had this problem when I moved a year ago. Rang BT who sent a lovely engineer who replaced box and some of outside wiring and also changed the entry point for the outside wiring. You could get a doubler for your new box and plug your the lead for your extension phone into it. I used the oppotunity to run my extension cables (I've got a trebler) under the carpet in the doorways because I didn't want wires around doorframes. Handy tip: if you tell BT you're getting interference on the line with the old box they might turn up a bit quicker, and interference will be a possibility given the age of the wiring and possible degradation of contacts and thingies (I'm not a tekkie) in your very old box. Hope this helps.