BT Overhead Wires Into House

[WhiteChristmas]

Hi guys, not sure if this is the correct forum for this but I think it's the best start.

We have an overhead line (I'm assuming a BT one) attached to our house. We had new windows installed yesterday which has 'unearthed' the dangling down wire from its resting place (which was originally painted into the wall).

As we don't use this connection (we have a Virgin Cable running into the house from a junction box on the outside of the house) what do I do with this line? Although the fitters have tidied it up a bit, it still looks very untidy dangling down the side of the house.

Basically can I cut off the dangling down section from the box attached to my house or is there something else I should do (like contact BT and ask them to remove it - if so, is this chargable)?

Thanks

 

[wingcoax]

Ring BT and tel them some contractors have damaged their line, they will more than likely come and repair/tidy it up free of charge.

 

[mattylad]

rub it against a rock/brick corner etc if your going to do that.

Give a worn look rather than a clean cut

You may not be using it now, but you may want BT in the future so best to keep it somehow.

DOes it not just need a bracket screwed in the wall & some wire wrapped around it to old it firm?

 

[simonpolly]

Its your house if your not using and it looks a mess remove it,quite often when people switch from b.t to cable the cable engineer will snip the dropwire /lead in.If you decided to go with b.t or some service provider using the openreach network,they would start up your line and if it tests faulty when the line is jumpered in the exchange they will send a engineer out,just plead ignorant LEAVE THE DROWIRE CLAMP AND CABLE FROM THE EAVES TO THE POLE INTACT.

 

[bernardgreen]

Ring BT and tel them some contractors have damaged their line, they will more than likely come and repair/tidy it up free of charge.

Recent experience of tree surgeons cutting a cable. The person who employed the tree surgeons to trim trees on her property was sent a bill of around £ 300 pounds. The tree surgeons refused to pay it and in the end it was paid by the person who employed the tree surgeons. The cut line was the line to a neighbour's house.

 

[simonpolly]

Ring BT and tel them some contractors have damaged their line, they will more than likely come and repair/tidy it up free of charge.

Recent experience of tree surgeons cutting a cable. The person who employed the tree surgeons to trim trees on her property was sent a bill of around £ 300 pounds. The tree surgeons refused to pay it and in the end it was paid by the person who employed the tree surgeons. The cut line was the line to a neighbour's house.

Spot on that is exactly what happens and if your unlucky enough to dig up a cable

 

[Lectrician]

A contractor damaged an underground cable between two villages while building some flats.

Some 300 homes and businesses lost their lines. Some lines did manage to survive, even a few on sites with multiple lines.

The cable was an old aluminium cable and repairing it was causing issues in the rain and mud on site.

Some lines where reinstated the same day, but the rest took over a week. Many lines ended up with cross lines. ISDN NTE8's had the green LED stable with nothing attached due to the line volts of a standard PSTN.

Cost the contractors building the flats thousands.

 

[bernardgreen]

Bit off topic

Some lines where reinstated the same day, but the rest took over a week.

Talking last night to an acquaintance cut off for 10 days after a cable theft. He recalled a time when a 100 pair cable was cut and all circuits were back in service with in 24 hours. 1950's repair.

And patches around bomb damaged cables were often being jointed before the raid ended.

So why is it taking so long to repair cables today ?

 

[Europlex]

Risk assessment

Health & Safety

Jobsworth

etc etc

PS

Don't forget rain, tea breaks & must be home by 16:00 etc etc

 

[dannyboi2003]

Could have taken s o long for a variety of reasons. Aluminium telecomms cable far as im aware hasnt been used for a very long time as its not very reliable and is a right pig to repair when damaged and in this situation BT most probably had to cut back a fair section of it to make the repairs. Also dont forget that main trunk cables between exchanges will more likely be fiber now and not copper pair. In most cases BT can re-route circuits through backup trunks but this isnt always possible depending on the network in the area.

 

[simonpolly]

Bit off topic

Some lines where reinstated the same day, but the rest took over a week.

Talking last night to an acquaintance cut off for 10 days after a cable theft. He recalled a time when a 100 pair cable was cut and all circuits were back in service with in 24 hours. 1950's repair.

And patches around bomb damaged cables were often being jointed before the raid ended.

So why is it taking so long to repair cables today ?

Various reasons, also matching concentric aluminium cable to copper unit cable is a art in itself(that will be where the cross lines come from) one thing is for sure it won`t be down to the engineer,i often get called to a damage report where farmer giles has cut a cable,upto 50 pr cable i repair it onsite there and then,anything bigger and second stage will repair it the next day at the latest,Today someone has to pay

 

[simonpolly]

Risk assessment

Health & Safety

Jobsworth

etc etc

PS

Don't forget rain, tea breaks & must be home by 16:00 etc etc

Not very helpful and not true,B.t are fined for everyday the line is out of action and believe you me we want it fixed as fast as the eu does,try getting An busy A road shut for a cable replacement/repair 28 days notice to the council then it will need to be done at night if they let you,things are never as simple as it may appear from the outside

 

[bernardgreen]

One thing that doesn't seem to happen any more is the old method of a temporary patch cable laid along the ground between cabinets until the damaged cable can be accessed or pulled out and replaced.

I suppose the temporary cable would dis-appear overnight if it was used.

 

[AlanE]

The person who employed the tree surgeons to trim trees on her property was sent a bill of around £ 300 pounds. The tree surgeons refused to pay it and in the end it was paid by the person who employed the tree surgeons.

Can't but help wonder if this bill ever went through the courts if the householder would, or even could, be forced to pay the bill. No damage was caused by them neither could negligence be proved.

 

[simonpolly]

Ring BT and tel them some contractors have damaged their line, they will more than likely come and repair/tidy it up free of charge.

Recent experience of tree surgeons cutting a cable. The person who employed the tree surgeons to trim trees on her property was sent a bill of around £ 300 pounds. The tree surgeons refused to pay it and in the end it was paid by the person who employed the tree surgeons. The cut line was the line to a neighbour's house.

Easy don`t pay the tree surgeon