Help - old BT wiring

[#1]

@crisk The reply above (from @198kHz ) is much better than any I could come up with - I'd go with that - but you certainly need it tidying up.😀

[#2]

Some years ago now, I had an issue with my broadband but could not carry out the necessary tests as using the test socket did not isolate the house extensions. Those extensions had been installed by BT by connecting into the grey junction box on the outside wall from which the master socket connection was also made. When I reported this to Plusnet, they got it regularised by Openreach at no cost to me. However that was about ten years ago. The original arrangement was installed shortly after the house was built about 30 years ago.

One point to note is that the Openreach engineer who sorted things out simply used a short length of new cable to facilitate an extension connection from the front plate of the master socket to separate connections within the grey junction box and reconnected the existing extension cabling in the junction box to those connections this leaving the junction box to master socket as it was. Thus it is possible that your cabling is not as hopeless as it looks at first sight but it would probably benefit from an overhaul by Openreach or another competent person.

Since those days I have removed all extension connections and only have my router and a landline base station connected to the master socket with several wireless phones elsewhere in the house. 

[#3]

If you’re having issues with your service, I’d recommend raising a fault rather than request a master socket relocation because the latter would undoubtedly cost £160 and that’d be for an engineer to move the existing master socket while likely retaining the wiring as it is.

Through a fault investigation however it’s likely an engineer will modernise the master socket isolating any suspect wiring. The most it’ll cost you is £65 (or free, depending on how the engineer signs the job off if they mark it as your responsibility or Openreach’s)

The caveat with a fault investigation is that the engineer may not be able to move your master socket as that work generally needs to be carried out on the back of a master socket relocation (internal shift) order due to how much time engineers are allocated.

Potentially you could be faced with a £65 and £160 charge. Depending on how you want to go about it, you could get an engineer out to move the master socket first and if they’re not able to tidy the wiring up/provide a new master socket while they’re there, then raise a fault afterwards for a fault engineer to visit. 

I’d still recommend though going down the fault route first if you’re having issues with your service as it’s the cheaper option and possibly free as well which may hit two birds with one stone (no actual birds will be harmed)

I hope this helps. 

[#4]

@crisk I'd be inclined to go with @Gandalf 's first suggestion, with the proviso that you have some tea/coffee and choccy biccies available, as they tend to make engineers more cooperative.  😉

[#5]

Thank you @Gandalf, @198kHz , @jab1 et al

Based on the dodgy box outside in the eaves I'm going to report a fault, which we get intermittently (horrendous noise on the line, internet dropping out and speed yo-yoing (high ping and lost packets according to my son). Will supply tea and choccy biscuits on tap and maybe he/she will take kindly and scrap the dodgy wiring in the process. Thanks for all your help and advice, much appreciated. 

Caroline 

[#6]

@Gandalf 

Which type of fault should @crisk  report it as ?

Internet connection fault ?  or Voice/phone fault

I believe there is a different route that each one takes, one being better than the other  ? ? ? ?

[#7]

Hope it goes well.  🤞

There are several fault liabilities on the supplier side of the master socket, none of which you can, according to the rules, touch.

I think it's likely therefore that no charges will be levied, and you would be on solid ground in challenging any that are.

[#8]

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@crisk wrote:

Based on the dodgy box outside in the eaves I'm going to report a fault, which we get intermittently...

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@crisk 

It might be beneficial to take photos of any suspect wiring / other equipment as evidence in case the need should arise in the future.

[#9]

Have just got off the phone to Plusnet and based on our poor speeds (less than 20 mb for the past few weeks) they have agreed to get and engineer to check for fault. Regards to the intermittent interference on the phone line I have to wait till it happens again and get them to check it then although she did say the engineer may well discover the cause of this at the same time.

 @RobPN good idea will do that too.

Thanks again all 🙏 

🤞it doesn't work out too expensive!

Caroline 

[#10]

Update

Engineer has been to take a look, nothing changed indoors and some new connections on the open box under the eaves although still open to the elements. Re. the fault (internet speed), he's eliminated our end to the pole and into the green box down the road so it appears the fault is underground between the box and the pole and underground engineers will look at that. Regards the dodgy junction box he said they don't replace any of it as a matter of course. He's disconnected the ISDN from it and said we can re-route our master socket to where we want it or book and engineer to move it. 

[#11]

@crisk 

Strange that the connections under the eaves were left exposed to the weather IMHO.

Did you notice whether he was an Openreach bod or from one of the sub-contractors such as Kelly Communications, whose vans are subtly marked "working on behalf of Openreach" with similar decals and easily confused with the real thing?

[#12]

@RobPN 

Didn't notice the van I'm afraid as it was hidden behind our hedge.  He left the box as he was having trouble reaching it from his ladder.  Although he disconnected the ISDN cable have just discovered the extension in the living room no longer works now 🙄 

[#13]

@RobPN , @Gandalf , @198kHz , @shutter , @jab1 

Further update

Hi all, 

Just to let you know, another engineer came today, took one look at how the other one left it and proceeded to replace the junction boxes, disconnect extension wiring no longer required and install a shiny new master socket in the living room where we wanted it. He couldn't believe how it had been left. We now have double the download speed at around 50mbps and hopefully no more problems with the phone. I'm not sure if there was any other fault other than the dodgy wiring as I wasn't here when he came but I'm very pleased with the outcome 😊

Thanks to all once again for all your advice. 

Caroline

[#14]

Sounds like he might have cracked it for you, Caroline - I hope so anyway.😀

If I were you, I'd monitor the behaviour for a week or so and then report everything OK.

[#15]

@crisk  Yup !   always nice to hear a happy ending to a troublesome saga...  glad it`s fixed for you... enjoy !