ISDN to ADSL Faceplate Question

I have signed up with Demon for a managed install from BT Midband to
broadband when it arrives in January.

I have seen comments in this group about a special type of faceplate
(?) for ADSL which may give a better connection and would allow testing
by directly connecting an ADSL modem to an internal socket if I need to
try and trouble shoot the connection. Apologies if my terminology is
wrong, this is all new to me.

Will I automatically get this type of faceplate with a managed install?

I did ask Demon but they didn't seem to know what I was talking about,
hopefully this is not a bad omen :-)

--
Jeff Gaines Damerham Hampshire UK

"Jeff Gaines" (E-Mail Removed) wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)
>
> Will I automatically get this type of faceplate with a managed
> install?

I don't believe so. The BT engineers who did my managed conversion said
"we've given you one of the new digital faceplates that will hopefully help
with your poor attenuation and noise. We're not supposed to give them out to
everyone".

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Jeff Gaines <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I have signed up with Demon for a managed install from BT Midband to
> broadband when it arrives in January.
>
> I have seen comments in this group about a special type of faceplate
> (?) for ADSL which may give a better connection and would allow
> testing by directly connecting an ADSL modem to an internal socket if
> I need to try and trouble shoot the connection. Apologies if my
> terminology is wrong, this is all new to me.
>
> Will I automatically get this type of faceplate with a managed
> install?
>
> I did ask Demon but they didn't seem to know what I was talking about,
> hopefully this is not a bad omen :-)


I think that you've slightly mis-understood the situation.

All recent-ish PSTN (i.e. ordinary) telephone lines are terminated with an
NTE5 master socket, which has a removeable faceplate. Extension wiring is
normally connected to the back of the faceplate, and is automatically
disconnected when the faceplate is removed. The faceplate itself plugs into
another "test" socket in the fixed part of the NTE5. Anyone having problems
with their ADSL connection can plug their kit into the test socket, which
eliminates any problems caused by extension wiring etc. If it still doesn't
work, there'a a problem with the line (if the equipment has been proven to
work elsewhere).

When a HH to BB conversion is done, the line will be converted back from
ISDN to PSTN, prior to being ADSL enabled, and you will be left with an
NTE5 - just like any other PSTN line.

With an NTE5 plus extension sockets setup, you can plug your ADSL kit into
any socket as long as you use plug-in filters in any sockets where analog
equipment (phones, faxes, etc.) is connected.

The alternative is to use a filtered faceplate, which you can buy from firms
like Solwise or Clarity, which fits into the NTE5 in place of the
BT-supplied faceplate. This has a phone socket and an ADSL socket on the
front, plus provision for extension wiring on the back. If you use one of
these, all extension sockets are automatically filtered, and you don't need
plug-in filters. The downside is that the ADSL kit *must* be plugged into
the master (or into a *digital* extension wired from it), rather than into
any old socket.

It is often useful to locate the master socket close to your computer (or to
where your ADSL modem or router will be). You will probably have a choice
about where to put it when your HH to BB conversion is done. You may well
currently have a "digital connection box" or somesuch in the place where
your master socket used to be (if you had an ordinary phone line prior to
HH) with a cable connecting that to the HH box. It is perfectly feasible for
your new NTE5 to be installed either where your HH box is, or in place of
this intermediate connection box. Make sure you make your wishes known to
the BT engineer.

[If you're interested in getting your own ADSL filtered faceplate, have a
look at http://www.solwise.co.uk/adsl_splitters.htm and
http://www.clarity.it/telecoms/adsl_bits.htm ]

--
Cheers,
Tim
______
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On 27/11/2004 Tiscali Tim wrote:

> In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
> Jeff Gaines <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > I have signed up with Demon for a managed install from BT Midband to
> > broadband when it arrives in January.
> >
> > I have seen comments in this group about a special type of faceplate
> > (?) for ADSL which may give a better connection and would allow
> > testing by directly connecting an ADSL modem to an internal socket
> > if I need to try and trouble shoot the connection. Apologies if my
> > terminology is wrong, this is all new to me.
> >
> > Will I automatically get this type of faceplate with a managed
> > install?
> >
> > I did ask Demon but they didn't seem to know what I was talking
> > about, hopefully this is not a bad omen :-)
>
>
> I think that you've slightly mis-understood the situation.

A distinct possibility :-)

[snipped]

Grant
Thanks for your input, I'll have to see if I get an old school BT
engineer or one who is a bit more approachable.

Tim
That's very useful, I've got a better idea of what to expect. I have
had my current master socket moved so it's next to the PC, the engineer
who did it even re-installed my extensions - even though when I ordered
the move I was told that was not part of the job.

It seems odd that BT don't install the filtered faceplate while they're
at it, the cost of the visit must far outweigh the cost of the
faceplate. Although I suppose if you want to run ADSL from an extension
then the filtered faceplate is not a good idea.

Thanks again.


--
Jeff Gaines Damerham Hampshire UK

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Jeff Gaines <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
> It seems odd that BT don't install the filtered faceplate while
> they're at it, the cost of the visit must far outweigh the cost of the
> faceplate. >

No that's not officially part of the deal. I think that I might have
persuaded my engineer to fit one had he not been accompanied by a
supervisor!

I gather that BT are now *sometimes* fitting filtered faceplates anyway
since, with their new extended reach policy, it's the only way of making
ADSL work at all on some lines.


>Although I suppose if you want to run ADSL from an
> extension then the filtered faceplate is not a good idea.

If you want to run ADSL from an extension (from a filtered faceplate) you
need a digital extension - connected to the incoming pair and *not* through
a filter. The modified filtered faceplate supplied by Clarity has
connections for this on the *back* - making for a neater installation job.
--
Cheers,
Tim
______
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Tiscali Tim wrote:
> I think that you've slightly mis-understood the situation.

Sorry you've got it slightly wrong as well

SNIP>

> It is often useful to locate the master socket close to your computer
> (or to where your ADSL modem or router will be). You will probably
> have a choice about where to put it when your HH to BB conversion is
> done.

The end user has no choice at all as there is already a NTE at site which is
where the DEL will work to (plus extensions run from that point of course).
If the NTE9 (HH box) is situated somewhere completely different in the house
then officially it is sorry can't do anything about it (here's where being
nice & polite to the engineer comes in & may work, but reading some of the
other posts today it's apparent that some can't even be bothered to do what
they are supposed to do let alone illicit shifts or extensions)


>You may well currently have a "digital connection box" or
> somesuch in the place where your master socket used to be

There will always be such a box, it's not a maybe...

>(if you had
> an ordinary phone line prior to HH) with a cable connecting that to
> the HH box. It is perfectly feasible for your new NTE5 to be
> installed either where your HH box is,

It may be engineeringly feasable _but_ it is not acceptable policy (from BT
that is) if you want the NTE moved you have to pay extra for a shift of
service...


You may not like it, you may not agree with it but those are the rules, if
the engineer is 'helpful' that is off his own back & he can possibly get
into trouble if he does anything else (like I did last Monday & have been
bollocked from pillow to post for going beyond the boundaries, even though
it got the end user up & running).

Don't shot me I'm just the poor (literally) sap who is at the sharp end
having to try to keep to the rules & keep the end users happy (not any easy
job sometimes I can tell you)...

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
kraftee <kraftee@spamoff& die.com> wrote:

> Tiscali Tim wrote:
>
>> It is often useful to locate the master socket close to your computer
>> (or to where your ADSL modem or router will be). You will probably
>> have a choice about where to put it when your HH to BB conversion is
>> done.
>
> The end user has no choice at all as there is already a NTE at site
> which is where the DEL will work to (plus extensions run from that
> point of course). If the NTE9 (HH box) is situated somewhere
> completely different in the house then officially it is sorry can't
> do anything about it

I assume that you're quoting the official party line, rather than what
happens in practice. In my case, the new master socket was installed in the
location where the HH box had previously been - using the CAT5 or whatever
cable already in place to make the connection and bring the extension wiring
back down to the original NTE5 location to join up with my own wiring. It
wouldn't have been a disaster if he has insisted in putting the new NTE5
where the original one had been - I would simply have bought a Clarity
modified faceplate and used the redundant HH cable to wire up a digital
extension.

>
>> You may well currently have a "digital connection box" or
>> somesuch in the place where your master socket used to be
>
> There will always be such a box, it's not a maybe...
>
OK, point taken. In some cases, of course, the HH box may have been
installed right next to the digital connection box - in which case the
customer would certainly have no choice!

--
Cheers,
Tim
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

Tiscali Tim wrote:
> In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
> kraftee <kraftee@spamoff& die.com> wrote:
>
>> Tiscali Tim wrote:
>>
>>> It is often useful to locate the master socket close to your
>>> computer (or to where your ADSL modem or router will be). You will
>>> probably have a choice about where to put it when your HH to BB
>>> conversion is done.
>>
>> The end user has no choice at all as there is already a NTE at site
>> which is where the DEL will work to (plus extensions run from that
>> point of course). If the NTE9 (HH box) is situated somewhere
>> completely different in the house then officially it is sorry can't
>> do anything about it
>
> I assume that you're quoting the official party line, rather than what
> happens in practice. In my case, the new master socket was installed
> in the location where the HH box had previously been - using the CAT5
> or whatever cable already in place to make the connection and bring
> the extension wiring back down to the original NTE5 location to join
> up with my own wiring. It wouldn't have been a disaster if he has
> insisted in putting the new NTE5 where the original one had been - I
> would simply have bought a Clarity modified faceplate and used the
> redundant HH cable to wire up a digital extension.

Well that's at least one _licencing_ reg he's broken as network (wiring
before the NTE5) & extension wiring has to be in completely seperate cables.
As it is there is now no demarcation between the 2 so if your extension
wiring goes faulty who covers it.

A few DSL engineers do use a modicum of commen sense, but you must remember
what is sometimes posted on here as being done & hence is gospel is anything
but & believe it, or believe it not, a lot of the self install repairs I
have to visit are down to the end user believing as gospel what he has read
on Usenet.....

:
> I have signed up with Demon for a managed install from BT Midband to
> broadband when it arrives in January.
>
> I have seen comments in this group about a special type of faceplate
> (?) for ADSL which may give a better connection and would allow
> testing by directly connecting an ADSL modem to an internal socket if
> I need to try and trouble shoot the connection. Apologies if my
> terminology is wrong, this is all new to me.
>
> Will I automatically get this type of faceplate with a managed
> install?
>
> I did ask Demon but they didn't seem to know what I was talking about,
> hopefully this is not a bad omen :-)

Recently had a HH to BB conversion. BT had my contact number and the
engineer rang me on my mobile when he was at the exchange asking if he could
visit earlier than planned cos he wanted to get home early ! No problem, a
cup of tea
and a chat ... and a BT ADSL faceplate.

Well done BT .... but .. after the conversion I was charged an extra £3 odd
a month
for maintenance charges which took 5 months to sort and refund.
Apparently I was put on a priority repair service even though I never
requested it !

Good luck, Chris