Replacing Master socket

[emphasis303]

Hi
I have an old Bt mastersocket, Im assuming its from like the 40s 50s not sure but its not like the new ones, I wanted to replace this with a new one for the benefit of my internet, would this make any difference and also how can I do this as bt want over £100 for something which im sure wouldnt take them 10minutes.


Thanks alot

 

[breezer]

they were not invented in the 40s or 50s, so if it is a socket changing it will make little difference.

picture of said "socket" would help

 

[bernardgreen]

I wanted to replace this with a new one for the benefit of my internet, would this make any difference and also how can I do this as bt want over £100 for something which im sure wouldnt take them 10minutes.

Friend signed his parents up to BT broadband and they got the new NTE5 ( master box ) fitted where they wanted it for free.

 

[emphasis303]

How old do you think this one is?

 

[breezer]

That is not a socket, its a connection point

 

[Softus]

I wanted to replace this with a new one for the benefit of my internet

And there was me thinking that nobody owned it.

BTW, what are the symptoms of the Internet problem you want to resolve?

 

[emphasis303]

lol yeh not exactly socket but it seems to be my master connection, well really its speed thats the issue,be recomended to change it to an nte5 one, so going to have an engineer come and change it. this is a master socket right guys?

 

[kevindgas]

from the 70's and yes that was how the phone was connected in them days. it is straight forward to change to a master socket as it normally only has 2 wires just follow instructions on new one for connection terminals (usually 2 orange and 5 blue)

 

[JOHNBOY42]

This is a connection point, I notice the feed is coming and th that phone then another wire going to extension wiring somewhere else......if you are using broadband does this plug into the extension socket?........inform your sp whoever they are and they will arrange a engineer to visit and fit a NTE

 

[TicklyT]

IIRC in installations with fixed phones, BT used to be responsible for maintaining the phone as well as the line. This may still persist. It could be worth asking.
Of course, if BT do maintain the phone, and it should accidentally get broken......
You may even get a small reduction in your line rental.

Or tell BT that the plug on your new telephone doesnt fit in their socket, and see what they do then....

Telephone extensions from the '70s usually had the bell circuits of all the phones connected wired in series, whilst the rest of the connections were in parallel, so if you have more than one phone, you might need to do a bit of re-wiring to bring everything up to the later spec.

4 wire cables of that era were constructed as one twisted quad instead of the twisted pairs now used. That may have an effect on ADSL speeds as well.

kevindgas - On an NTE5, the line is connected on screw terminals 'A' and 'B' on the network side of the box, not IDC terminals 2 and 5, which are on the customer side. Connect to the wrong side and the line isolation test ( and ADSL filters) doesn't work correctly.

 

[emphasis303]

thanks alot guys, well bt engineer came round, i told him that customer services told me he should do it for free if its old, he didnt argue just said that they dont usually change things because there old, he changed the master and the socket connected to it so gave him £20, he was quite happy with this and even got his number lol (not for a date but for further work if required)

Speed hasnt really changed for the internet gained an extra 2mb.

Also does anyone know what the tool they use to connect the telephone cables into the socket is called? Its the one that fits the cable between the sort of sharp teeth in the socket?

Thanks

 

[kevindgas]

kevindgas - On an NTE5, the line is connected on screw terminals 'A' and 'B' on the network side of the box, not IDC terminals 2 and 5, which are on the customer side. Connect to the wrong side and the line isolation test ( and ADSL filters) doesn't work correctly.

yes you are correct and i stand corrected was forgetting the NTE5 comes in 2 part! was thinking of single capacitor fitted type

 

[breezer]

its a krone tool.

a proprer one not only inserts the cable, it chops off the surplus

 

[TicklyT]

A 'Krone tool' or 'wire inserter'.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=17402&ts=46177#

You can also get cheap 'n' cheerful all plastic versions (often supplied with DIY phone extension kits) that will push the wires home without trimming them.

Don't push the wires home with a screwdriver blade. It distorts the jaws of the connectors, and may cause them to fail.

 

[emphasis303]

thanks alot guys for all your help