New fttc install scheduled, may have a problem with master socket cable?

[Tarzan]

This is the cable to the master socket.



So its not the usual BT cw1308 cable. This is the master socket installed by BT openreach 5 years ago when i moved, the cabling was already there, the engineer just put in the socket (this was a new rental, just been renovated) I switched to cable 18 months later and am now switching back to idnet (bt openreach)

The socket is located in a cupboard under the stairs and the cable runs straight up to the ceiling under the floorboards into the bathroom and out toward where the drop cable comes into the house. Theres no possibility to replace it with a normal BT cable.

Im dont know what to expect when the engineer comes to install the new socket faceplate, will he just connect it the master socket? i dont know if that cable is good enough for VDSL2. If not i think they would have to cut the dropwire and put a new line into the house, what can i expect?

[Simon]

 

I can't answer your questions, but I'm sure someone will be along soon who can. 

[Gary]

Im dont know what to expect when the engineer comes to install the new socket faceplate, will he just connect it the master socket? i dont know if that cable is good enough for VDSL2. If not i think they would have to cut the dropwire and put a new line into the house, what can i expect?

It should be to the appropriate BT spec - should be CW1308 if straight through a wall or CW1308B - external grade if it runs along walls. As long as its 2 twisted pairs & copper it should be fine, I really doubt they will put a new drop wire in and run a new cable for an install of VDSL, as long as the sync is good and you don't have loads of errored seconds it should be fine. Point the cable out to them but I would not worry overly.

[Lance]

I personally wouldn't say anything about it and just let the engineer get on with it. Play dumb on the matter - like 95% of the other customers he goes to!

[nowster]

That's definitely not standard internal BT wire. It might be external type. There are a suspiciously large number of wires unused in the back of the box there.

Was this originally part of a much larger installation, eg. former business premises?

Your internal extension wiring appears to be alarm cable, not phone cable, and lacks a ring shunt wire. This would have adversely affected any previous ADSL service you had, but because the filtering is at the master socket for VDSL, won't be affected by the extension wiring.

[Gary]

I personally wouldn't say anything about it and just let the engineer get on with it. Play dumb on the matter - like 95% of the other customers he goes to!

If on an engineer visit they find bad wiring which will effect VDSL performance they will repair/replace things like with star wiring, but that's generally in very old houses, if the wiring is not up to scratch he/she will find out anyway when he does a test. As Lance says most people have no idea what wiring they have so either just let him get on with it or mention it, but I imagine the wiring is up to scratch for VDSL, I mean they give you flat IPC Telephone cable from the NTE5 to the BT modems so I really would not worry.

[Gary]

That's definitely not standard internal BT wire. It might be external type. There are a suspiciously large number of wires unused in the back of the box there.

Was this originally part of a much larger installation, eg. former business premises?

Your internal extension wiring appears to be alarm cable, not phone cable, and lacks a ring shunt wire. This would have adversely affected any previous ADSL service you had, but because the filtering is at the master socket for VDSL, won't be affected by the extension wiring.

People disconnect the ring wire as its not needed, the faceplates like the old iPlate (no longer needed) were put in to do away with possible interference from that, so not having a bell (shunt) wire is actually better from what I remember. Its never connected in NTE5's now.

[Tarzan]

That's definitely not standard internal BT wire. It might be external type. There are a suspiciously large number of wires unused in the back of the box there.

Was this originally part of a much larger installation, eg. former business premises?

Your internal extension wiring appears to be alarm cable, not phone cable, and lacks a ring shunt wire. This would have adversely affected any previous ADSL service you had, but because the filtering is at the master socket for VDSL, won't be affected by the extension wiring.

Just a normal terrace house, my landlord, who did the renovation, told me where the master socket needed to go, there was no line to the house at the time.

ADSL was poor (i wont go into that), which is why i switched to cable. The mains is close to the BT socket and has wiring that runs up through the ceiling in the same area. I took a floorboard up at the top of the stairs to see what i could see, the phone and mains run together a little, maybe the reason for poor adsl as this doesnt look like twisted cable, i dont know.

Just have to see what happens.

[Tarzan]

If on an engineer visit they find bad wiring which will effect VDSL performance they will repair/replace things like with star wiring, but that's generally in very old houses, if the wiring is not up to scratch he/she will find out anyway when he does a test. As Lance says most people have no idea what wiring they have so either just let him get on with it or mention it, but I imagine the wiring is up to scratch for VDSL, I mean they give you flat IPC Telephone cable from the NTE5 to the BT modems so I really would not worry.

If its not good enough im wondering what will happen? will they refuse the installation? Its not possible to replace this wiring so the only alternative i see would be to cut the external cable and find another way in.

[Polchraine]

100% certain that is alarm cable, and multi stranded too.     Totally unsuitable for voice telephony let alone ADSL or VDSL even over a fairly short length.        All I can say is that it was installed by a real cowboy!

[Tarzan]

Late update for anyone interested (just passing through)
I pointed out the wiring and my concers to the engineer, he took a look at it and agreed that it wasnt up to standard. He cut the cable where it entered the house and ran cable to a new socket he installed in the back room.
He did ask where i would like the socket, really i wanted it in the front but i thought that would be a pain so i said back room.

[Steve]