In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Yvonne wrote:

Can someone please clarify the position with regard to the bell wire
in domestic telephone cabling.

Some web sources imply that it is no longer necessary with modern
phones. Other web sites show each extension connected with three wires
- the third being the bell wire.

I am about to install additional extension sockets - primarily to
allow connections for a Sky digibox and I want to get by on one pair,
if that will work.

Some sites suggest that getting rid of all the bell wires helps
improve one's broadband speed.

Just what is the truth?

Yvonne

The truth is that some phones will not ring unless provided with a ring
signal on Pin 3. Some phones (probably most modern ones) have their own ring
capacitor, and will ring quite happily on a 2-wire circuit - with only 2 and
5 connected.

All is not lost though because you can get away with only using 2 wires as
long as you provide a ring capacitor at the point where the phone plugs in.
The easiest way to do this is to use a plug-in ADSL filter, all of which
have ring capacitors on their phone socket. If you're using broadband over
the telephone wire without a faceplate filter on the master socket, you'll
need a plug-in filter on each extension socket anyway. Even if you *are*
using a faceplate filter, it will do no harm to use an additional plug-in
filter for any phones which refuse to ring without one.

And yes, getting rid of the unbalanced bell wire may well improve broadband
speed by reducing noise pick-up.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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