NTE5 socket fitted for free?

James123_2

I have an ancient, grey telephone hub in my attic - marked GPO. This accepts the input from an overhead cable outside and then spurs into three sections around the house - including the 'master' socket (identified by a capacitor in the socket itself). It seems a bit of a weird configuration.
What I wanted to do was to have the new NTE5 socket - which should make my line clearer and broadband, hopefully, more reliable. However, I note that BT charge a large amount for this change-over. BUT ... I did recall that BT can sometimes waive this charge if your wiring is ancient. Mine, I guess, dates back to when the house was built - 1979. Is anyone aware of how I go about trying to get a 'free' upgrade? I'm with BT for both broadband and phone.
Thanks, as ever.
James

macman

They will only fit a free NTE5 if your existing ancient socket develops a fault, if so they will just replace it as a matter of course.
It's up to you if you feel able to, ahem, 'assist' it to develop such a fault. And remember that bashing it with a heavy hammer (accidental user-inflicted damage) does not count.
If they do this, you will only get one socket replaced (the master). Any more extensions are chargeable.

James123_2

Thanks for this. Of course, you can't ever tie them down to a decision as to whether they'll be a charge or not before they visit. Hmm. Can't afford the possible £150 charge so might have to leave for now.

gt94sss2

Have a look at the table right at the bottom of this page.

Regards
Sunil

DVardysShadow

Your problem is most likely not the lack of an NTE5, it is the fact you have 3 sockets spurred from the GPO box in the loft. ADSL in my experience works best on a daisy chain configuration of sockets, rather than a star.

notbritishgas

Your situation is perhaps not quite as straightforward as you think because your extensions are spurred from your loft.
If you wanted the NTE5A fitted downstairs then the extensions would have to be rewired to the face plate of the NTE in order that they could be disconnected from the BT line.
You could have the NTE fitted in place of the GPO box in the loft, there used to be an NTE5B designed for this purpose which differed from a 5A by not having a socket on the front ( do not know if this is still available).
This would mean a trip into the loft if ever it was needed to disconnect the extensions.
In this case the master socket would not be needed downstairs.

James123_2

A HUGE thanks for all the great replies. There's some really great information here. I guess, from your replies, that a BT engineer would place the master in the attic (or airing cupboard immediately below) and use the spurs for the available extensions. This way I could then place the modem in the attic/airing cupboard to get the best ADSL signal. I'll have no choice but to pay BT, but I just wanted to tie them down to the costs. (Thanks for the post on this). I've heard so many horror stories about run-away costings from BT that I'm unsure whether to pursue this. I guess I could always 'threaten' to pay my £39 a month to someone else. (We're in an unbundled area, hence cost)
Phew ... really appreciated your replies. I know that DIY is an option .. if totally against BT. It's not something I could do myself anyway.
Best Wishes!
James


Can I really get a new socket for £25?? Still not sure on this one. It seems to be £25 plus call-out?

James123_2

Posted a picture of my 'set-up' to see whether anyone might like to cast an expert eye over this. Basically, it's the main BT cable with the three sockets plumbed into this. It's all housed, but not in anyway attached, to the brown GPO box.

DVardysShadow

James123 wrote: »

Posted a picture of my 'set-up' to see whether anyone might like to cast an expert eye over this. Basically, it's the main BT cable with the three sockets plumbed into this. It's all housed, but not in anyway attached, to the brown GPO box.

Ugh! That will be your problem.

I would suggest you go for an NTE5 on the exchange side of this little rats nest and you use one of the ADSL filters for NTE5s. The line into the rats nest from the exchange side can be wired into the phone side of the filter and you can run a separate ADSL extension to where you want your ADSL kit.

James123_2

Thanks ... from your reaction I surmise that my configuration is not 'standard' - and perhaps never was! I inherited this in 2000 and it has remained untouched since.
So, you suggest that I fit an NTE5, throw away the bundle of wires and do a clean configuration with the three sockets from here. Hope I've got this right. BT will have to do the NTE5 & the rest I can do myself or farm out. It would seem sensible to put the router directly into the NTE5
Thanks for taking the trouble to reply.

DVardysShadow

James123 wrote: »

Thanks ... from your reaction I surmise that my configuration is not 'standard' - and perhaps never was! I inherited this in 2000 and it has remained untouched since.

It IS standard for voice, nothing wrong with it for that. But it is useless for ADSL - the signal echoes from the ends of 3 cables

James123 wrote: »

So, you suggest that I fit an NTE5, throw away the bundle of wires and do a clean configuration with the three sockets from here. Hope I've got this right.

Ideally you would do that. But I was actually suggesting that you get an ADSL filter faceplate for the NTE5 and wire in the ratsnest on the voice side of the filter - where it has no effect on the ADSL signal

James123 wrote: »

BT will have to do the NTE5 & the rest I can do myself or farm out. It would seem sensible to put the router directly into the NTE5
Thanks for taking the trouble to reply.

The NTE5 would belong to BT and they would have to do it. Although it is a dead easy job if you know what you are doing, you must pay them however much they demand, because it is illegal to do it yourself. Once you have the NTE5, you can wire the rest yourself legally. If your NTE5 position is convenient, then use it for the router - otherwise, use an ADSL filter faceplate on the NTE5 and wire an ADSL extension from there. Take care to get a faceplate filter where you can wire in an ADSL extension, rather than just plugging in.