Recessed BT Phone socket

DogsBody

DogsBody

DogsBody

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Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Will be moving into a new build house soon and as it doesn't have aphone line will be getting one fitted.

All the sockets downstairs are satin chrome.
So I bought a satin chrome faceplate.

Will the BT engineer use this, and also will he use a recessed backbox if I ask him ?

There are currently no wires showing in the property, the builder has even had twin coax run for sky to the outside wall and also a coax run to the attic for a TV aeriel.

It would annoy me greatly if I had to have an ugly BT socket on the wall.
(I think my brain might explode when I finally get round to having infinity as well)
 
They won't use the chrome one.
The BT master socket isn't like an extension socket, it is full depth because it houses their test socket inside.
At best you can cut the plasterboard and fix it further back so it doesn't stick out so much.
If he's installing an extension for you, then yes he can use your faceplate.

Some people have these by the window so the curtain fall hides it, or you could have it installed into a cupboard or something.
 
bsoltan said:
Why on earth would a new build house not plan to put a phone line in? Is that normal?
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As far as I am aware yes it is, to get a phoneline installed you normaly have to contact BT and sort out a contract with them, why would a builder setup a contract on a house that is being built to be sold ????



Is it then possible to remove the master BT socket myself and put the chrome faceplate in place ?
 
BT will install their own NTE5 thick master faceplate. You can simply remove this if you so wish and do what you like. The line will even work with an RJ11 crimped on the end and chucked straight into your router, so there is nothing to worry about from that angle.
 
Jez said:
BT will install their own NTE5 thick master faceplate. You can simply remove this if you so wish and do what you like. The line will even work with an RJ11 crimped on the end and chucked straight into your router, so there is nothing to worry about from that angle.
Click to expand...

Good info cheers.
Was just wondering what kind of magical trickery their own box does (the filter I mean)
 
DogsBody said:
Good info cheers.
Click to expand...
A pity he's talking nonsense then :p

Jez said:
BT will install their own NTE5 thick master faceplate. You can simply remove this if you so wish and do what you like.
Click to expand...

No you can't.
If BT sees you have messed with their box, they will charge you for rectifying it.
BT own the NTE5 box, you can only plug your extensions into it.

Jez said:
The standard master faceplate isnt filtered, it does nothing.
Click to expand...

Yes it does.
The NTE5 box contains a ring capacitor, the OOS test resistor and a surge arrestor, this is why they don't want amateurs removing the thing and using their own faceplates.
Extension faceplates contain only the connector, if you use one of those as a master then any line surge will kill your router, your phones won't ring and the exchange won't be able to run its overnight line tests to see if it's OK or not.
 
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bitslice said:
A pity he's talking nonsense then :p



No you can't.
If BT sees you have messed with their box, they will charge you for rectifying it.
BT own the NTE5 box, you can only plug your extensions into it.



Yes it does.
The NTE5 box contains a ring capacitor, the OOS test resistor and a surge arrestor, this is why they don't want amateurs removing the thing and using their own faceplates.
Extension faceplates contain only the connector, if you use one of those as a master then any line surge will kill your router, your phones won't ring and the exchange won't be able to run its overnight line tests to see if it's OK or not.
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Bugger!!
 
DogsBody said:
Bugger!!
Click to expand...

Dont worry about it, everything he's posted is nonsense. You can quite literally crimp an RJ11 onto the line if you wanted and it will work. Older lines do not even use an NTE5, and work perfectly (obviously, as the NTE5 isnt a necessary fitting).

I have stripped my line right back to the DP (pole mounted in my case) in the street, replaced all of it with cat6TP, and terminated straight into a VDSL faceplate of my own sourcing. I have massively helped my situation and have a much more stable line as a result. Who cares what BT think, its your house, if you know what you are doing then do what you like.
 
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bitslice said:
A pity he's talking nonsense then :p



No you can't.
If BT sees you have messed with their box, they will charge you for rectifying it.
BT own the NTE5 box, you can only plug your extensions into it.



Yes it does.
The NTE5 box contains a ring capacitor, the OOS test resistor and a surge arrestor, this is why they don't want amateurs removing the thing and using their own faceplates.
Extension faceplates contain only the connector, if you use one of those as a master then any line surge will kill your router, your phones won't ring and the exchange won't be able to run its overnight line tests to see if it's OK or not.
Click to expand...

LOL, this is even worse than the nonsense spouted on this forum regarding wiring your own home. Its your house, do what you like. There are no regulations surrounding what you may do with a telephone line :p As with anything else, use common sense. If you know what you are doing and understand that you shouldnt short the incoming line, and that it is live, and understand which pair is carrying the line, then you will not have any issues.
 
One work around is have BT install the NTE5 in some place like the attic or under the stairs. Then run an extension to where you need it.

If it was a self build or refurb you'd likely have Cat5 in place so the router could stay under the stairs. With a new build this is less likely so may require some more thought.
 
Jez said:
Older lines do not even use an NTE5, and work perfectly (obviously, as the NTE5 isnt a necessary fitting)
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Older master sockets contain exactly the same components as the NTE5, that'll be why they function as intended. There were some changes to the capacitor wiring I think and a filter was added to stop noise from the unused wire, but it's essentially the same.

Sorry if you feel butthurt, but ask a telecoms guy what he thinks. I'm happy to stand by what I say :) I'm not BT but I did research all this, I did study Electronics and I have worked with international POTS circuits for telemetry. Of course if you have overclocked your i7 then that trumps my experience.

I think most of the advice given by people regarding domestic electrical wiring has been OK. But then I'd trust the guy who has studied the subject and taken 17th Ed exams over the guy who replaces line wire with Cat6 :o Twisted line wire is for low bandwidth transmission, say around 3khz, cat6 is designed for around 500Mhz, mashing together cables of differing capacitance and inductance isn't the best way of improving the situation.

You must be one of those guys who thinks that just because he's bodged something together, everyone else's way of doing it must be wrong.

Btw, the line isn't live, it's at -48vDC
 
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What is the point in arguing about it? The line works regardless of termination, the NTE5 is not needed, it is as simple as that. You could stick the pair into the back of a phone or router with no termination and it will work.

The guy can add any termination to it as he so wishes, BT are not going to charge him, he will not get in trouble, just what do you think will happen? :p

Thanks for googling the PD of the line by the way, very helpful ;)
 
bitslice said:
Twisted line wire is for low bandwidth transmission, say around 3khz, cat6 is designed for around 500Mhz, mashing together cables of differing capacitance and inductance isn't the best way of improving the situation.
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By the way again i do admire your quick google skills, i think you had better go and extend the knowledge you clearly have gained from this with BT's engineers. They routinely and in most circumstances will patch corporate PSTN circuits over structured cabling, usually patching the resultant NTE5 into the patch panel at the point of delivery. (in a rack for an ADSL circuit for example).
 
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