Resiting main BT Phone Line

DJM_4

I want to resite the phone line that runs from where the connection enters my flat (bathroom!) to the socket (entrance hall). It currently follows the path of various skirting boards and architraves and has been painted over, which has made the insulation sleeve brittle. It is also in the way of improvements that I wish to make to my flat. So...

...is it possible to do this yourself? I'm relatively au fait with doing simple electrical stuff - replacing old spur sockets etc.

Or do I have to have a BT engineer to do it?

xxchicxx

I wanted to re-site mine, as mine comes through into my bedroom, but BT charge a hell of a lot to move it so I opted out (sorry I cant remember how much they quoted me, it was a few years ago) The thing is though, when I spoke to them they told me that if I had it moved myself, and I had problems where I had to get an engineer out to it, I would be charged for the move of the main line as they have it recorded as to where the wiring enters the house. I would be careful and do some enquiries first.

DJM_4

Thanks.

I don't want to change the point at which it enters the flat, just the route it takes through the flat to the socket.

ooo000ooo

Officially you aren't allowed to touch the wiring before the main socket. If you reroute it or rewire it and it goes faulty you'll get charged for an engineer to sort it out (about £115 plus) It's not recorded how your house is wired internally only if it's overhead or underground feed or there may be a hazard note on your details if there's something really strange about your house i.e. big dog, dangerous fence etc.

beer2006

What you should have is a connection box where the wire enters your property.
Do you have that or does the cable go all the way through to the box?

If you have a connection box, its simple to run a new wire in through to the main box, if you don't I'd leave alone.
Remember whatever you put in must look like BT installed it themselves, if an engineer does come out to a fault and it looks like they haven't done the work, he may charge you.

Hunnymonster

beer2006 wrote:

Remember whatever you put in must look like BT installed it themselves, if an engineer does come out to a fault and it looks like they haven't done the work, he may charge you.

So that means throw out the spirit level, run no wires straight along anything and any phone sockets located close to others should be just enough out of alignment that it drives you nuts

Sorry to the BT technicians out there that do the job 'properly' - I've yet to encounter you :rolleyes: either at home or at work (10 years plus of managing telecoms for a multinational) - but I have seen two ladies reduced to tears at what BT did to their new houses in the course of installing telephone lines and extensions (the full tack around the skirting, drill crookedly through doorframes, run short of cable so a bit of diagonal - but not straight)

beer2006

Hunnymonster wrote:

So that means throw out the spirit level, run no wires straight along anything and any phone sockets located close to others should be just enough out of alignment that it drives you nuts

Sorry to the BT technicians out there that do the job 'properly' - I've yet to encounter you :rolleyes: either at home or at work (10 years plus of managing telecoms for a multinational) - but I have seen two ladies reduced to tears at what BT did to their new houses in the course of installing telephone lines and extensions (the full tack around the skirting, drill crookedly through doorframes, run short of cable so a bit of diagonal - but not straight)

lol

Its true some do that, what I meant was, don't go and buy a cheap rubbish extend a extension from a DIY shed.

Because you can tell by the materials.

roswell

In my house someone has plastered over the master socket, i just cut the line extended it ran it under the floor boards and back up where i wanted it, I put on a new socket and also wired in a extension to upstairs, BT at the time wanted £50 to sort out the master socket (previouce occupier didnt have a phone) and £100 + for the upstairs extension i think in total it cost me £15 and a hour or so work. BT have been out since due to a line fault (Found in the in the exchange only happened 2 years after this work was done) and didnt mention anything at all about the changes. I recon there bluffing abount knowing anything about your point other wise why do engineers ask where the line is ....

westie666

DJM,

Quoting from the training I was on....BT would charge you for an engineer visit plus any new equipment needed to move the line. ~£140+

My suggestion is to take out the 'original BT wiring' and buy decent (this is the important part) phone line cable. If you get the cheap 2.99 for 20m stuff, engineers will spot it a mile off, but if you go to B&Q/Focus/Homebase and buy it by the meter (looks just like BT wiring) the engineers will not know the difference..

Engineers only access notes on that needs done, usually they ask where your phone line comes into the house as it can enter (more often than not) through the roof and into the loft/rafters. As long as you dont move the master connection to the main line outside you should be fine

rgds
W666

DJM_4

OK folks, thanks to you all.

I'm going to do the job myself. After some exploratory work last night it seems like a fairly simple job. There is a connection box where the phone line enters the property. The wires are connected there using jelly clips (orange to orange, white to blue). The connections at the master socket are just screw in terminals. Took some macro photos with my digi camera just in case though.

beer2006

Make sure you use jelly connectors again and as westie says decent cable. No chocolate blocks please

If you can't get hold of any jelly connectors pm me and I should be able to sort something out.