Getting an NTE5 fitted?

[pctech]

Can I specifically  request one of these to be fitted via my phone company (line is maintained by Openreach but I pay the line rental to the Phone coop) or is it something that is replaced as a mstter of course if Openreach are called out to do other work on the line?

[Rik]

Yes and no. You can request one, it will cost between £26 and £160, depending on who you talk to. The lower charge is for regularising a non-standard master socket, and the normal approach is to say you wish to fit extensions. Even then, not everyone knows about the lower charge.

If, otoh, there's a fault and an engineer attends, then they normally fit an NTE5, if not I'm sure they would if you asked nicely.

[pctech]

Perhaps I'll talk to the good folks at Phone co-op and see if I can get BT out as I'd like to be able to fit an i-plate to see if I can wring any more speed out of my line.

[Lance]

An i-plate does exactly the same job as disconnecting your ring/bell wire at all sockets. I would save the money and take the easy option

[pctech]

I'm a little releuctant to take off the socket as I don't think it was installed by a BT engineer although the builder that built the extension charged it as BT (was originally done as an extension)

When I had the second line installed the BT engineer remarked it had been 'looped' at the outside panel on the side of the house  which he said was technically a no no but he checked it and connected the new line to it and said it should be ok for broadband (couldn't get broadband at the time) but he did not remove the socket itself so I dread to think what horrors may lurk behind   so am quite happy to part with a little dosh to have the job done properly.

[Rik]

An i-plate does exactly the same job as disconnecting your ring/bell wire at all sockets. I would save the money and take the easy option

Me too.

[Rik]

When I had the second line installed the BT engineer remarked it had been 'looped' at the outside panel on the side of the house  which he said was technically a no no but he checked it and connected the new line to it and said it should be ok for broadband (couldn't get broadband at the time) but he did not remove the socket itself so I dread to think what horrors may lurk behind 

There's really not a problem. Only two wires should be connected to each socket, depending on topography, ie you may have multiple wires if extensions are 'starred' from the master. The two terminals which need to be connected are 2 & 5. Usually, they would be blue/white and white blue, but as long as the colour matches, it's not critical. What you don't want is any wires on terminal 3 at any socket.

[pctech]

Might get my toolkit out on Sunday then.

[Glenn]

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/socket.htm shows you what to do, Mitch

[Rik]

Take notes, or pictures, of each socket before you start, that way you can always put things back if anything stops working. It would be an idea to get yourself a cheap insertion tool from B&Q as a precaution, though a small screwdriver can be used if you don't have one to hand.

[pctech]

Looks fairly straightforward

[Rik]

Even I can do it.