We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
BT: cost of moving a line?
Options

DisgruntledGoat
Posts: 105 Forumite
in Phones & TV
This must be on the BT website somewhere, but darned if I can find it 
Anyway, we currently have two phone lines to our house, but only one active (the other goes to the attic, which the previous owner used as an office). The active line arrives in the house somewhere in the roofspace of our porch, reappears briefly in the form of a tatty matchboxed-sized plastic thing with frayed wiring near the front door and disappears again, to re-emerge somehow in the kitchen where we don't want it.
Ideally we'd like it somewhere else entirely, and the most convenient - although probably not the cheapest - option would be to have BT move the point at which it enters the house and fit a new master socket. Rewiring inside the house wouldn't be at all easy.
Before I do battle with someone in a call centre again to explain all that, I thought i'd see if anyone knows how much it costs (which will largely determine if we put up with the current location or not!) - i've yet to come up with a search that doesn't talk about moving house.

Anyway, we currently have two phone lines to our house, but only one active (the other goes to the attic, which the previous owner used as an office). The active line arrives in the house somewhere in the roofspace of our porch, reappears briefly in the form of a tatty matchboxed-sized plastic thing with frayed wiring near the front door and disappears again, to re-emerge somehow in the kitchen where we don't want it.
Ideally we'd like it somewhere else entirely, and the most convenient - although probably not the cheapest - option would be to have BT move the point at which it enters the house and fit a new master socket. Rewiring inside the house wouldn't be at all easy.
Before I do battle with someone in a call centre again to explain all that, I thought i'd see if anyone knows how much it costs (which will largely determine if we put up with the current location or not!) - i've yet to come up with a search that doesn't talk about moving house.
0
Comments
-
I can't advise on cost, and I've never had this done, but I would suggest that where possible, it's left as it is and you run extension(s) internally to the location(s) where telephone socket(s) are needed. If that means that the master socket has no phone connected to it, then so be it.
If you use proper round telephone cable with twisted pairs in, then this should not affect the speed of ADSL (broadband) you may have on the line.
Do you have an NTE5 master socket? Picture of one is:
Or are you saying that you don't and you would like one?0 -
Do you have an NTE5 master socket?
I have something similar (but considerably older, with the 1980s BT "T" logo) in the kitchen
The tatty plastic box where the line comes into the house is just marked "G.P.O.", which gives an idea how old it is.
Rewiring internally is possible, but inconvenient with lots of doorways, fitted carpet and laminate flooring etc. to traverse. Given that the existing wiring is old and, quite frankly, rather dubious, i'd get BT to redo it all if the price is reasonable.0 -
DisgruntledGoat wrote: »This must be on the BT website somewhere, but darned if I can find it
Anyway, we currently have two phone lines to our house, but only one active (the other goes to the attic, which the previous owner used as an office). The active line arrives in the house somewhere in the roofspace of our porch, reappears briefly in the form of a tatty matchboxed-sized plastic thing with frayed wiring near the front door and disappears again, to re-emerge somehow in the kitchen where we don't want it.
Ideally we'd like it somewhere else entirely, and the most convenient - although probably not the cheapest - option would be to have BT move the point at which it enters the house and fit a new master socket. Rewiring inside the house wouldn't be at all easy.
Before I do battle with someone in a call centre again to explain all that, I thought i'd see if anyone knows how much it costs (which will largely determine if we put up with the current location or not!) - i've yet to come up with a search that doesn't talk about moving house.
Here you go-
http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/pricing/loadProductPriceDetails.do?data=u4Eg5%2Bv3zY69P26G4S6PAL%2FuVhXjMR5hQz3DdrCHJqBVrWsgMC%2F4dy9qJJFTkna20 -
Sounds like the best option to get BT in to move it then. I'm not sure how much they charge; hopefully someone else will be able to advise.0
-
http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/public/current/Exch_Lines_boo/1294_d0e1.htm#1294-d0e1
From what I can gather, assuming that the dropwire does not need repositioning, then look at subpart 1 "Internal Shifts of Exchange Line Wiring" and the entry in the table "Per line shifted" which is £71.52 inc VAT.
spike7451, do you concur with this?0 -
This is the charge Openreach imposes on the retailer which the subscriber is with. Assuming that DisgruntledGoat pays his line rental to BT Retail ("BT"), then the relevant BT Price List section is here:
http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/public/current/Exch_Lines_boo/1294_d0e1.htm#1294-d0e1
From what I can gather, assuming that the dropwire does not need repositioning, then look at subpart 1 "Internal Shifts of Exchange Line Wiring" and the entry in the table "Per line shifted" which is £71.52 inc VAT.
spike7451, do you concur with this?
Yup,it may be the drop wire can be remove & relocate the 77a (the matchbox with the tatty wires)out of the porch into the hall,then running new internal wireing.
It'd be easiest to judge if we had a photo of the front of the house/porch.
If you have say a phone extension in a upstairs room close to the porch,make that the master & back engineer to the old master.
The are quite a few options available tho,depending on layout of existing wireing.0 -
Hi DisgruntledGoat,
I just wanted to clarify, if you need to shift the socket in your property this costs �199.51 including VAT. This charge is made up of a �125.00 engineer visit charge and as DonnyDave has mentioned a �71.52 charge for shifting the socket itself.
I hope this clears it up for you.
Shane.“Official Company Representative
I am the official company representative of BT. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.5K Spending & Discounts
- 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
- 598.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 176.9K Life & Family
- 257.2K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards