Help with cable illegality

A friend has been suffering poor ADSL broadband performance of late, low
SNR, frequent line drops.

It transpires that the flat recently had double glazing fitted and as
the telephone cable passed through the window frame, the window fitters
just cut the cable before the NTE5, refitted the glazing and quote
"stuck it back together with gaffer tape".

I'm guessing that this bodged cable joint is something to do with the
poor ADSL performance but I'm also concerned about the legality of what
was done.

It wasn't my friend who commissioned the new windows, it was the
landlady so as yet we don't know who the fitters were.

Am I correct in remembering that it's illegal to tamper with the BT
wiring on BTs side of the network?

What's the best way to proceed from this point?

Gary wrote:
> A friend has been suffering poor ADSL broadband performance of late, low
> SNR, frequent line drops.
>
> It transpires that the flat recently had double glazing fitted and as
> the telephone cable passed through the window frame, the window fitters
> just cut the cable before the NTE5, refitted the glazing and quote
> "stuck it back together with gaffer tape".
>
> I'm guessing that this bodged cable joint is something to do with the
> poor ADSL performance but I'm also concerned about the legality of what
> was done.
>
> It wasn't my friend who commissioned the new windows, it was the
> landlady so as yet we don't know who the fitters were.
>
> Am I correct in remembering that it's illegal to tamper with the BT
> wiring on BTs side of the network?
>
> What's the best way to proceed from this point?

Inform BT about the (criminal) damage to their cable and claim damages
from the landlady for loss of service. If she wants to claim off the
contractors, that's a matter for her.

IANAL.

--
Mike

Mike wrote:
> Gary wrote:
>> A friend has been suffering poor ADSL broadband performance of late,
>> low SNR, frequent line drops.
>>
>> It transpires that the flat recently had double glazing fitted and as
>> the telephone cable passed through the window frame, the window
>> fitters just cut the cable before the NTE5, refitted the glazing and
>> quote "stuck it back together with gaffer tape".
>>
>> I'm guessing that this bodged cable joint is something to do with the
>> poor ADSL performance but I'm also concerned about the legality of
>> what was done.
>>
>> It wasn't my friend who commissioned the new windows, it was the
>> landlady so as yet we don't know who the fitters were.
>>
>> Am I correct in remembering that it's illegal to tamper with the BT
>> wiring on BTs side of the network?
>>
>> What's the best way to proceed from this point?
>
> Inform BT about the (criminal) damage to their cable and claim damages
> from the landlady for loss of service. If she wants to claim off the
> contractors, that's a matter for her.
>
There will also be a charge from BT to put the damage right , but they will
want the account holder to pay at a guess

--
Alex

"I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide until it goes away"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk www.ebayfaq.co.uk

Mike wrote:

>
>
> Inform BT about the (criminal) damage to their cable and claim damages
> from the landlady for loss of service. If she wants to claim off the
> contractors, that's a matter for her.
>
> IANAL.
>

A bit OT but what is the exact definition/punishment for 'tampering with
BT cables'
Surely it's not a proper Parliament approved and enacted law of the land?
Do BT make a civil claim for repair?
What happens if the work done by a non-BT person actually improves the
situation? - i.e. tidying up the cable route and termination into the NTE

Is there anything written down anywhere?

Mike

(Just interested of course!!)

"m" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>
> Mike wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Inform BT about the (criminal) damage to their cable and claim damages
>> from the landlady for loss of service. If she wants to claim off the
>> contractors, that's a matter for her.
>>
>> IANAL.
>>
>
> A bit OT but what is the exact definition/punishment for 'tampering with
> BT cables'
> Surely it's not a proper Parliament approved and enacted law of the land?
> Do BT make a civil claim for repair?
> What happens if the work done by a non-BT person actually improves the
> situation? - i.e. tidying up the cable route and termination into the NTE
>
> Is there anything written down anywhere?
>
> Mike
>
> (Just interested of course!!)

Probably. Why don't you google it. Try telecommunications
act or combinations thereof.

On 7-Aug-2007, "Raisa Pottlard
."
<Raisa.Pottlard@DailyPok wrote:

> > A bit OT but what is the exact definition/punishment for 'tampering with
>>BT cables'

Well a friend going throgh a nasty divorce found a wire tapped into her
phone line.
As it was on the customers premises BT didn't want to know, outside their
control and jurisdiction.
So you break the law if you tap into BT's outside plant, but it seems
vaguely
defined if it's breaking the law if done on private property.

On Aug 7, 3:17 pm, ato_...@hotmail.com wrote:
> On 7-Aug-2007, "Raisa Pottlard
> ."
>
> <Raisa.Pottlard@DailyPok wrote:
> > > A bit OT but what is the exact definition/punishment for 'tampering with
> >>BT cables'
>
> Well a friend going throgh a nasty divorce found a wire tapped into her
> phone line.
> As it was on the customers premises BT didn't want to know, outside their
> control and jurisdiction.
> So you break the law if you tap into BT's outside plant, but it seems
> vaguely
> defined if it's breaking the law if done on private property.

Sue land lady for £££££££££

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:46b87ef8$0$31717$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> On 7-Aug-2007, "Raisa Pottlard
> ."
> <Raisa.Pottlard@DailyPok wrote:
>
>> > A bit OT but what is the exact definition/punishment for 'tampering
>> > with
>>>BT cables'
>
> Well a friend going throgh a nasty divorce found a wire tapped into her
> phone line.
> As it was on the customers premises BT didn't want to know, outside their
> control and jurisdiction.
> So you break the law if you tap into BT's outside plant, but it seems
> vaguely
> defined if it's breaking the law if done on private property.


Is she good looking ?

m wrote:
>
>
> Mike wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Inform BT about the (criminal) damage to their cable and claim damages
>> from the landlady for loss of service. If she wants to claim off the
>> contractors, that's a matter for her.
>>
>> IANAL.
>>
>
> A bit OT but what is the exact definition/punishment for 'tampering with
> BT cables'
> Surely it's not a proper Parliament approved and enacted law of the land?

It might have been when telecommunications were handled by the GPO but
now I suspect it's just "Criminal Damage".

> Do BT make a civil claim for repair?

As another poster has said, they'll charge the account holder. He can
make a claim from whoever caused the damage or the magistrates could
make a restitution order if the vandals are convicted.

> What happens if the work done by a non-BT person actually improves the
> situation? - i.e. tidying up the cable route and termination into the NTE
>
I doubt it makes any difference if the owner (BT) objects. Compare
graffiti artists tastefully decorating an otherwise ugly concrete wall.

--
Mike

On Tue, 7 Aug 2007 14:17:28 GMT, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> Well a friend going throgh a nasty divorce found a wire tapped into her
> phone line.
> As it was on the customers premises BT didn't want to know, outside their
> control and jurisdiction.
> So you break the law if you tap into BT's outside plant, but it seems
> vaguely
> defined if it's breaking the law if done on private property.

That is not in the slightest bit vague, it's quite clearly criminal under
RIPA 2000: "It shall be an offence for a person intentionally and without
lawful authority to intercept, at any place in the United Kingdom, any
communication in the course of its transmission by means of ... a public
telecommunication system." and should be reported to the police not to BT.

Tony