Charge for moving master socket

I've just been quoted £113-odd for BT to come and move the master socket
for line 2 in my house - is that normal? Currently the main cable carrying
both lines comes into the study on the ground floor, where the master
socket for line 1 is. Line 2 continues to wind its way up the stairs and is
terminated at the master socket in a bedroom (as installed by a BT engineer
in November 2003).

I'd like to have the master socket for line 2 moved so that it is adjacent
to the master socket for line 1. I want to leave the current line 2 cable
going up the stairs where it is and wire it into the faceplate of the moved
line 2 master socket in the study as an extension (terminated with a
corresponding extension faceplate in the bedroom).

I understand that the call-out is £55+VAT, whatever - that's fair enough.
But to charge almost £50 for an extension box? That sounds like daylight
robbery... I gather that moving the master socket myself is something that
could land me in a whole lot of bother, especially given my DIY isn't my
forté, but are there any contractors, other than BT, who are authorized to
do it?

Ta for any ideas

Iwan

"Iwan Davies" <NOSPAM-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:4mewhtda6ca6.14z48y2u66sly$.(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've just been quoted £113-odd for BT to come and move the master socket
> for line 2 in my house - is that normal? Currently the main cable carrying
> both lines comes into the study on the ground floor, where the master
> socket for line 1 is. Line 2 continues to wind its way up the stairs and
> is
> terminated at the master socket in a bedroom (as installed by a BT
> engineer
> in November 2003).
>
> I'd like to have the master socket for line 2 moved so that it is adjacent
> to the master socket for line 1. I want to leave the current line 2 cable
> going up the stairs where it is and wire it into the faceplate of the
> moved
> line 2 master socket in the study as an extension (terminated with a
> corresponding extension faceplate in the bedroom).
>
> I understand that the call-out is £55+VAT, whatever - that's fair enough.
> But to charge almost £50 for an extension box? That sounds like daylight
> robbery... I gather that moving the master socket myself is something that
> could land me in a whole lot of bother, especially given my DIY isn't my
> forté, but are there any contractors, other than BT, who are authorized to
> do it?
>
> Ta for any ideas
>
> Iwan
Get some cable, make a note of the connections and do it yourself. if you
want to sve money. BT never keep records of where master sockets are in a
house and unless you tell them you moved it, or bugger it up and call them,
they will never know.
Forget all this "being authorised" business, move in to the real world.

>>
>> Iwan
> Get some cable, make a note of the connections and do it yourself. if you
> want to sve money. BT never keep records of where master sockets are in a
> house and unless you tell them you moved it, or bugger it up and call
> them, they will never know.
> Forget all this "being authorised" business, move in to the real world.
>
>
>

Sounds like you got a good length of cable and as said before note the wire
connections (if you have a digital camera take pics) to make sure you get it
put back right.

Don't cut through the cable separate the wires first and move the old box to
new position and rewire exactly as it was before. If the cable way to short
to reach new position that could be more difficult.

On 25-Aug-2006, "Pete" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Get some cable, make a note of the connections and do it yourself. if you
> want to sve money. BT never keep records of where master sockets are in a
> house and unless you tell them you moved it, or bugger it up and call them,
> they will never know.
> Forget all this "being authorised" business, move in to the real world.

Local free ads papers often list amongst Tradespeople ex BT engineers
who will do extensions (and presumably move sockets) for a lot
less than £110.
6 mths to years down the line "It's always been like that, I know
nothing about phones, I'm only a simple woodcutter"

Iwan Davies <NOSPAM-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I've just been quoted £113-odd for BT to come and move the master socket

Not sure why you asked here... ----> uk.telecom <---- seems appropriate!

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> On 25-Aug-2006, "Pete" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > Get some cable, make a note of the connections and do it yourself. if
you
> > want to sve money. BT never keep records of where master sockets are in
a
> > house and unless you tell them you moved it, or bugger it up and call
them,
> > they will never know.
> > Forget all this "being authorised" business, move in to the real world.
>
> Local free ads papers often list amongst Tradespeople ex BT engineers
> who will do extensions (and presumably move sockets) for a lot
> less than £110.
> 6 mths to years down the line "It's always been like that, I know
> nothing about phones, I'm only a simple woodcutter"

First things first, when the cable come in from outside, what type is it?
Does it just have two pairs of wires, or an individual pair for each line,
or does it have multiple pairs with different colours on the conductor
insulation? Is there any break or join in the cabling to the master socket
upstairs? In other words is the cable for upstairs an "external" cable or is
there a join in it to "internal" wiring? Is there a spare pair available in
the cable to upstairs?
Cables from the "street" will normally just be a pair of wires, whereas all
extension wiring is multiple pairs. The master socket terminates the outside
pair and the internal wiring is either wired into the back of the removable
faceplate or connected by the plug of the extension cable that plugs in the
socket on the front. If you don't need to actually move the master, many of
the home wiring kits available from BT on line shop/Maplin/DIY stores will
do what you want. The different coloured pairs of the internal wiring always
terminate on the same numbered connectors and the kits will tell you what to
do where.
Alan

Look here

http://www.solwise.co.uk/adsl_splitters.htm

Good tech support & web pages.


Alan wrote:
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> >
> > On 25-Aug-2006, "Pete" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >
> > > Get some cable, make a note of the connections and do it yourself. if
> you
> > > want to sve money. BT never keep records of where master sockets arein
> a
> > > house and unless you tell them you moved it, or bugger it up and call
> them,
> > > they will never know.
> > > Forget all this "being authorised" business, move in to the real world.
> >
> > Local free ads papers often list amongst Tradespeople ex BT engineers
> > who will do extensions (and presumably move sockets) for a lot
> > less than £110.
> > 6 mths to years down the line "It's always been like that, I know
> > nothing about phones, I'm only a simple woodcutter"
>
> First things first, when the cable come in from outside, what type is it?
> Does it just have two pairs of wires, or an individual pair for each line,
> or does it have multiple pairs with different colours on the conductor
> insulation? Is there any break or join in the cabling to the master socket
> upstairs? In other words is the cable for upstairs an "external" cable oris
> there a join in it to "internal" wiring? Is there a spare pair available in
> the cable to upstairs?
> Cables from the "street" will normally just be a pair of wires, whereas all
> extension wiring is multiple pairs. The master socket terminates the outside
> pair and the internal wiring is either wired into the back of the removable
> faceplate or connected by the plug of the extension cable that plugs in the
> socket on the front. If you don't need to actually move the master, many of
> the home wiring kits available from BT on line shop/Maplin/DIY stores will
> do what you want. The different coloured pairs of the internal wiring always
> terminate on the same numbered connectors and the kits will tell you whatto
> do where.
> Alan

Look here

http://www.solwise.co.uk/adsl_splitters.htm

Good tech support & web pages.


Alan wrote:
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> >
> > On 25-Aug-2006, "Pete" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >
> > > Get some cable, make a note of the connections and do it yourself. if
> you
> > > want to sve money. BT never keep records of where master sockets arein
> a
> > > house and unless you tell them you moved it, or bugger it up and call
> them,
> > > they will never know.
> > > Forget all this "being authorised" business, move in to the real world.
> >
> > Local free ads papers often list amongst Tradespeople ex BT engineers
> > who will do extensions (and presumably move sockets) for a lot
> > less than £110.
> > 6 mths to years down the line "It's always been like that, I know
> > nothing about phones, I'm only a simple woodcutter"
>
> First things first, when the cable come in from outside, what type is it?
> Does it just have two pairs of wires, or an individual pair for each line,
> or does it have multiple pairs with different colours on the conductor
> insulation? Is there any break or join in the cabling to the master socket
> upstairs? In other words is the cable for upstairs an "external" cable oris
> there a join in it to "internal" wiring? Is there a spare pair available in
> the cable to upstairs?
> Cables from the "street" will normally just be a pair of wires, whereas all
> extension wiring is multiple pairs. The master socket terminates the outside
> pair and the internal wiring is either wired into the back of the removable
> faceplate or connected by the plug of the extension cable that plugs in the
> socket on the front. If you don't need to actually move the master, many of
> the home wiring kits available from BT on line shop/Maplin/DIY stores will
> do what you want. The different coloured pairs of the internal wiring always
> terminate on the same numbered connectors and the kits will tell you whatto
> do where.
> Alan

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> On 25-Aug-2006, "Pete" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> Get some cable, make a note of the connections and do it yourself.
>> if you want to sve money. BT never keep records of where master
>> sockets are in a house and unless you tell them you moved it, or
>> bugger it up and call them, they will never know.
>> Forget all this "being authorised" business, move in to the real
>> world.
>
> Local free ads papers often list amongst Tradespeople ex BT
> engineers
> who will do extensions (and presumably move sockets) for a lot
> less than £110.
> 6 mths to years down the line "It's always been like that, I know
> nothing about phones, I'm only a simple woodcutter"

I could tell you about the person who paid his local electrician to do
such a thing, unfortunately the trained electrician used burglar alarm
cable which stopped the ADSL from working so they were hit with 2
charges, one from the electrician & the other from BT for making it
work.

Moral of the story......you get what you pay for...

By the way once you start factoring in the costs of wages, wear & tear
on tools/vans etc plus average travel times it's not that exspensive.
If you still think it is try getting a quote from a qualified plumber
to do a simple job & see what they are charging...

On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 20:38:08 +0100, kráftéé wrote:

> (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>> On 25-Aug-2006, "Pete" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>> Get some cable, make a note of the connections and do it yourself.
>>> if you want to sve money. BT never keep records of where master
>>> sockets are in a house and unless you tell them you moved it, or
>>> bugger it up and call them, they will never know.
>>> Forget all this "being authorised" business, move in to the real
>>> world.
>>
>> Local free ads papers often list amongst Tradespeople ex BT
>> engineers
>> who will do extensions (and presumably move sockets) for a lot
>> less than £110.
>> 6 mths to years down the line "It's always been like that, I know
>> nothing about phones, I'm only a simple woodcutter"
>
> I could tell you about the person who paid his local electrician to do
> such a thing, unfortunately the trained electrician used burglar alarm
> cable which stopped the ADSL from working so they were hit with 2
> charges, one from the electrician & the other from BT for making it
> work.
>
> Moral of the story......you get what you pay for...
>
> By the way once you start factoring in the costs of wages, wear & tear
> on tools/vans etc plus average travel times it's not that exspensive.
> If you still think it is try getting a quote from a qualified plumber
> to do a simple job & see what they are charging...

Thanks to all who've replied. To be fair, I'm not complaining about the
call-out charge - I charge a minimum fee for my services too. However, I am
annoyed that BT want to charge for materials when all the materials they
need are already here. The line was installed less than 3 years ago, by a
BT engineer, and is properly terminated by a BT master socket. All I want
BT to do is move the master socket from one end of the cable to the other.

I can do the extension wiring myself - in fact the house (new build) came
with 5 extensions already wired up to a hub in the garage, from which a
single cable went to the master socket of line 1 in the study - it just
needed wiring up to the faceplate. The BT engineer who came around to wire
up the incoming cable to the master sockets said she didn't understand the
house wiring, and left me with no working extensions. I subsequently
realized that all that needed doing was to wire up the extension cable
leading to the hub using an IDC push-down tool. I realize it wasn't her
responsibility to work out how the house is wired up, but surely it can't
have been beyond a BT engineer to work it out in about 5 seconds - she even
used a continuity tester to try to work out where each wire was going and
declared herself flummoxed.

The call-centre droid told me it would be a £55 +VAT call-out fee, and
£40-odd +VAT for materials. That, to me, is taking the mickey and failing
to acknowledge that one master box shift is not the same as the next. To be
honest, if BT were still a nationalised company I would probably accept
such inflexibility in terms of pricing, but it's not, and though I don't
expect something for nothing, neither do I want to pay £50 for something I
already have.

/rant over.

Iwan