Problem with phone line connections

Hi,

A friend of mine has just got a computer and wants to get a broadband
connection to the internet. Problem is, his telephone connection box looks
like this one here:

http://www.telephonesuk.co.uk/images/52a_gpo.jpg

The phone in the house has one of those old circular dialling rings with the
numbers all the way round it and a bell!!!

The phone he has bought with him (from his last property) has a modern style
plug on the end, and he can't use it!

Now what?

Terry

Terry Malin wrote:
> Hi,
>
> A friend of mine has just got a computer and wants to get a
> broadband connection to the internet. Problem is, his telephone
> connection box looks like this one here:
>
> http://www.telephonesuk.co.uk/images/52a_gpo.jpg
>
> The phone in the house has one of those old circular dialling rings
> with the numbers all the way round it and a bell!!!
>
> The phone he has bought with him (from his last property) has a
> modern style plug on the end, and he can't use it!
>
> Now what?
>
> Terry

Call BT and get them to replace it with a master socket. Try and keep the
old phone if you can, they're worth good money to collectors on ebay ;-)

Ivor

"Ivor Jones" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> The phone in the house has one of those old circular dialling rings
>> with the numbers all the way round it and a bell!!!
>
>> Now what?
>
> Call BT and get them to replace it with a master socket.

Just wanted to point out that BT normally charge £29.38 for this.

Regards
Sunil

"Sunil Sood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Ivor Jones" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> The phone in the house has one of those old circular dialling rings
>>> with the numbers all the way round it and a bell!!!
>>
>>> Now what?
>>
>> Call BT and get them to replace it with a master socket.
>
> Just wanted to point out that BT normally charge £29.38 for this.
>
> Regards
> Sunil

Can he buy his own and replace it? Its hanging open as it is, the thing has
been pulled off the wall.
Should only be a 5 minute job....

"Terry Malin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> Call BT and get them to replace it with a master socket.
>>
>> Just wanted to point out that BT normally charge £29.38 for this.
>
> Can he buy his own and replace it? Its hanging open as it is, the thing
> has been pulled off the wall.
> Should only be a 5 minute job....

Not legally as its considered part of BT's network and if a BT engineer ever
sees an unofficial one they would then charge your friend for replacing it
with an "official" one.

There are a few circumstances where BT engineers replace them for free and
don't charge..

Regards
Sunil

"Sunil Sood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Terry Malin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>> Call BT and get them to replace it with a master socket.
>>>
>>> Just wanted to point out that BT normally charge £29.38 for this.
>>
>> Can he buy his own and replace it? Its hanging open as it is, the thing
>> has been pulled off the wall.
>> Should only be a 5 minute job....
>
> Not legally as its considered part of BT's network and if a BT engineer
> ever sees an unofficial one they would then charge your friend for
> replacing it with an "official" one.
>
> There are a few circumstances where BT engineers replace them for free and
> don't charge..
>
> Regards
> Sunil
So basically he can either pay nearly 30 quid for a proper job, or fit one
and chance it.....

I was gonna order him one of these:
http://www.clarity.it/acatalog/lineboxes.html
Are they any good?

I will have to tell him... Thanks for that one Sunil.

Do you work for BT, you have been posting around the telecom newsgroups for
many years I see!

"Terry Malin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> So basically he can either pay nearly 30 quid for a proper job, or fit one
> and chance it.....
>
> I was gonna order him one of these:
> http://www.clarity.it/acatalog/lineboxes.html
> Are they any good?
>
> I will have to tell him... Thanks for that one Sunil.

I have only tried their Clarity's ADSL flaceplates
(http://www.clarity.it/telecoms/adsl_bits.htm) which are the same as those
BT engineers use(d) for the old ADSL "engineer installs" and I can recommend
those but can't realy comment on their NTE5 boxes as I have never seen one.

Personally, I would just pay the £30 and get the job done professionally by
BT - otherwise you/your friend will be paying £11.70 (including P&P) for an
unofficial NTE5 and then have to wire it all in yourself - for which you may
need a Krone tool as well (if their are extensions involved) and then face a
bill the first time a BT engineer sees it (even if its perfectly wired in)

Your friend may even be lucky and if asked the engineer may be willing to
fit a free ADSL filter/faceplate when installing the master socket...

> Do you work for BT, you have been posting around the telecom newsgroups
> for many years I see!

Ah yes, I have been here for a few years - around a decade now! (beginning
to feel old!)

However I don't and never have worked for BT

Regards
Sunil

"Terry Malin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> I was gonna order him one of these:
> http://www.clarity.it/acatalog/lineboxes.html
> Are they any good?
>

You read this bit, I presume?

"IMPORTANT - *Replacing* your old-style BT master linebox with an NTE5 of
your own:

DON'T EVER, AND THAT'S THAT.
The only people on the planet who are allowed to change your BT Master box
are BT engineers. It's ILLEGAL to change it yourself. You face
suspension/termination of BT service and/or a stiff fine if you do so. The
Master line box is the "demarcation" point between Your Equipment and BT's
Exchange Line, so everything on your side is your problem, everything on
BT's side, including the Master box itself, is BT's problem. It needs to
stay that way.

You mustn't just buy an NTE5 linebox from us and swap it with your old style
master. You see, ONLY genuine BT master units have the embossed BT logo, and
ONLY BT engineers possess the genuine articles. Once again for super
clarity; ONLY BT-installed NTE5's have the little BT "Piper" in relief on
the top left of the face. NOBODY ANYWHERE sells those legally, they're only
EVER fitted by BT engineers.

There's actually a replacement master line box with internal microfilter out
there (non-uk manufactured and not BT approved - naturally) which somebody's
rather irresponsibly advising their customers to replace their BT box with.
Oh dear God, NO!

If you're caught with some third party NTE5 AS YOUR MASTER BOX, it's clear
and obvious that you've changed it yourself and you deserve all you get.
Don't say you weren't warned."

"Myrtle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:424672b4$0$13896$(E-Mail Removed) eenews.net...
>
> "Terry Malin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> I was gonna order him one of these:
>> http://www.clarity.it/acatalog/lineboxes.html
>> Are they any good?
>>
>
> You read this bit, I presume?
>
> "IMPORTANT - *Replacing* your old-style BT master linebox with an NTE5 of
> your own:
>
> DON'T EVER, AND THAT'S THAT.
> The only people on the planet who are allowed to change your BT Master box
> are BT engineers. It's ILLEGAL to change it yourself. You face
> suspension/termination of BT service and/or a stiff fine if you do so. The
> Master line box is the "demarcation" point between Your Equipment and BT's
> Exchange Line, so everything on your side is your problem, everything on
> BT's side, including the Master box itself, is BT's problem. It needs to
> stay that way.
>
> You mustn't just buy an NTE5 linebox from us and swap it with your old
> style
> master. You see, ONLY genuine BT master units have the embossed BT logo,
> and
> ONLY BT engineers possess the genuine articles. Once again for super
> clarity; ONLY BT-installed NTE5's have the little BT "Piper" in relief on
> the top left of the face. NOBODY ANYWHERE sells those legally, they're
> only
> EVER fitted by BT engineers.
>
> There's actually a replacement master line box with internal microfilter
> out
> there (non-uk manufactured and not BT approved - naturally) which
> somebody's
> rather irresponsibly advising their customers to replace their BT box
> with.
> Oh dear God, NO!
>
> If you're caught with some third party NTE5 AS YOUR MASTER BOX, it's clear
> and obvious that you've changed it yourself and you deserve all you get.
> Don't say you weren't warned."
>

Of course, I had already read that. Thats called 'covering yourself'.
And its a bit over the top at that. What have they got to bring 'God' into
it for?!
Its a poor way of making their point, and could offend some people
It goes way over the top, and looks very unprofessional too in my opinion.

A simple:
Caution: Please note that under current UK law, you cannot change a BT
master socket yourself, and your actions may constitute a crimal act! That
would do the job. Plain and simple and to the point!

There is no need to shout your face off about Oh dear God No! Get real!

"Terry Malin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
> A friend of mine has just got a computer and wants to get a broadband
> connection to the internet. Problem is, his telephone connection box
> looks like this one here:
>
> http://www.telephonesuk.co.uk/images/52a_gpo.jpg
>
> The phone in the house has one of those old circular dialling rings with
> the numbers all the way round it and a bell!!!
>
> The phone he has bought with him (from his last property) has a modern
> style plug on the end, and he can't use it!
>
> Now what?
>
> Terry
>
>
I'd be tempted to ring 151 and tell them he's having problems dialling out
and getting wrong numbers.They MAY arrange for an engineer to come around to
check the line and with the right tea and biscuits will convert to socket.