Testing a BT line that has no socket

203846930

I have been in this house for 28+ years and never had a BT connection, I went straight to Telewest (now Virgin). There is wiring into a blank box for a BT line but no socket on the end of it so that I can check the line. Chances are that it would be well out of date but I would like to check to see if the line is viable so that I may have the option to use it in the future.
How easy is it to connect a socket to the existing wiring? or would it not be worthwhile as the wiring is too old?

I have done a search online but all the results have a socket connected.

Neil_Jones

Can you take and attach a picture?  Relatively unusual for wiring but no "socket".  Are there no other sockets in the house beside the Virgin one?

Note that in the future if you decide to have a BT based service and the computer says you don't have a BT line, somebody from Openreach would come and install one.  This may be as simple as replacing this box of which you speak, but depends on the wiring.

feolojad

Don't bother because you won't be able to check it anyway. There's no need to check it just to see if it's viable for the future because BT will do that when they reconnect the line, just remember to tell them you've not had a BT line for donkeys years.

Anyway it may end up being redundant as BT are currently in the process of upgrading the entire phone network to fibre optic to the premises making all that copper wire scrap.

JJ_Egan

(

Anyway it may end up being redundant as BT are currently in the process of upgrading the entire phone network to fibre optic to the premises making all that copper wire scrap.

The word missing is eventually , it will be a good few years yet .

neilmcl

JJ_Egan said:

(

Anyway it may end up being redundant as BT are currently in the process of upgrading the entire phone network to fibre optic to the premises making all that copper wire scrap.

The word missing is eventually , it will be a good few years yet .

Copper is still used to for the phone line. They install a shotgun type cable, fibre for the data and copper for voice.

thorganby

neilmcl said:

JJ_Egan said:

(

Anyway it may end up being redundant as BT are currently in the process of upgrading the entire phone network to fibre optic to the premises making all that copper wire scrap.

The word missing is eventually , it will be a good few years yet .

Copper is still used to for the phone line. They install a shotgun type cable, fibre for the data and copper for voice.

Rubbish, shotgun cable will not be used!

BT's plan is to withdraw traditional copper line phone services (PSTN – WLR, LLU, SMPF etc.) by December 2025, which will see both homes and businesses being migrated over to a modern IP based network for broadband and voice connectivity.

Virgin have also transferred some of their customers over to voice over IP telephony.

Heedtheadvice

Easy to connect a socket.....but the equipment does not belong to you legally.

Pointless (as expresssed above) because you cannot test it (it will be disconnected at the exchange if the cabling to it is not already in use for another subscriber) and how would you propose to test it???

If you did move back to BT or one of it's group of companies they (

Openreach provide connections for most suppliers not just BT retail) would have to provide you with a working line (irrespective of type) - and that would potentially be part of the switch agreement in terms of cost- and you would get the latest version of socket installed.

203846930

Picture of the wiring in the box on the wall:

203846930

Thanks everyone for all the comments, it's pretty much as I thought, I should just put a blank cover back on the box and forget about it.

fenwick458

yes until the time that you want to use it, if that day ever comes.
I may be wrong here but will it make much of a difference? at worst BT may charge a small  fee to reconnect you at the cabinet down the street when you sign back upto them, but often they do it for free anyway.

neilmcl

thorganby said:

neilmcl said:

JJ_Egan said:

(

Anyway it may end up being redundant as BT are currently in the process of upgrading the entire phone network to fibre optic to the premises making all that copper wire scrap.

The word missing is eventually , it will be a good few years yet .

Copper is still used to for the phone line. They install a shotgun type cable, fibre for the data and copper for voice.

Rubbish, shotgun cable will not be used!

BT's plan is to withdraw traditional copper line phone services (PSTN – WLR, LLU, SMPF etc.) by December 2025, which will see both homes and businesses being migrated over to a modern IP based network for broadband and voice connectivity.

Virgin have also transferred some of their customers over to voice over IP telephony.

It's exactly what's being rolled out at the moment, Openreach install a FTTP hybrid drop cable (eg shotgun cable with both copper and fibre). It was done on our road last year.