My BT master socket is currently surface mounted on a pattress. I would
like to flush mount it on a sunken metal back box. What are the
legalities of doing this myself? I understand that only a BT engineer
should really touch their part of the socket but what are the
repercussions of doing the work myself?

Thanks,

Graham

Technically it's not allowed but I wouldn't worry about it. If you're
competent and know how to make the connections and have a proper
insertion tool, just do it. BT won't give a care.

What are the legalities of doing this myself?

You're not allowed.

but what are the repercussions of doing the work myself?

That depends if you balls it up. I might have moved a master socket myself
once, and I may not have had any problems if I had done so...

OTOH, if you start chopping the cable or shorting them out, the exchange may
boot you off and leave you with some explaining to do.

Christian.

"Graham Jones" wrote in message
...
My BT master socket is currently surface mounted on a pattress. I would
like to flush mount it on a sunken metal back box. What are the legalities
of doing this myself? I understand that only a BT engineer should really
touch their part of the socket but what are the repercussions of doing the
work myself?

Thanks,

Graham

I'm a BT engineer so I have to advise against it as it is actually illegal
for you to go into our side of the NTE5. If you were to disregard my advice,
then make sure that you have the correct IDC punch-down tool (or "podger" as
we call them up here in the north )) and take the time to do a good job.
It's an easy job - there's no witchcraft or black magic involved and almost
anyone should be able to terminate an NTE5 correctly but the only people on
the planet legally entitled to do it are us BT engineers.

If you end up putting any faults on the line and an engineer is sent out,
you'll have to pay a callout charge of £75 plus his time and BT may suspend
your telephone service and may even take legal proceedings against you so be
sure you can do the job properly before disregarding my advice.

Mogweed.

Graham Jones wrote:
My BT master socket is currently surface mounted on a pattress. I would
like to flush mount it on a sunken metal back box. What are the
legalities of doing this myself? I understand that only a BT engineer
should really touch their part of the socket but what are the
repercussions of doing the work myself?

Thanks,

Graham

Thanks for the replies, now on a similar note I also have a surface
mounted NTL master socket but have long since canceled my account with
them. I would like to remove this entirely and just leave it connected
under the floorboards.

On the other have I have an urge to rip it out completely along with
their CATV equipment and cable all the way back to where it enters my
land. What are the legalities of doing this considering I no longer
have an account with them? Should they not do it for free?

Graham

Is the NTL cable hindering you in any way?

I renovated a place where redundant NTL cables ran as well but I
actually made provision for them just in case I or anyone
buying/renting the place wanted to reconnect to NTL in the future. You
never know!

Mogweed wrote:
I'm a BT engineer so I have to advise against it as it is actually illegal
for you to go into our side of the NTE5. If you were to disregard my advice,
then make sure that you have the correct IDC punch-down tool (or "podger" as
we call them up here in the north )) and take the time to do a good job.

Since when has there been IDC connectors on the BT side of an NTE5?

"Richard Conway" ShoobiddyDoobiddyDoopDoopDoopWah@com wrote in message
...
Mogweed wrote:
I'm a BT engineer so I have to advise against it as it is actually
illegal for you to go into our side of the NTE5. If you were to disregard
my advice, then make sure that you have the correct IDC punch-down tool
(or "podger" as we call them up here in the north )) and take the time
to do a good job.

Since when has there been IDC connectors on the BT side of an NTE5?

Doh, doh, and double doh! I'm having a blonde day here - sorry (

Mogweed.

Mogweed wrote:
"Richard Conway" ShoobiddyDoobiddyDoopDoopDoopWah@com wrote in message
...

Mogweed wrote:

I'm a BT engineer so I have to advise against it as it is actually
illegal for you to go into our side of the NTE5. If you were to disregard
my advice, then make sure that you have the correct IDC punch-down tool
(or "podger" as we call them up here in the north )) and take the time
to do a good job.

Since when has there been IDC connectors on the BT side of an NTE5?


Doh, doh, and double doh! I'm having a blonde day here - sorry (

Mogweed.

Hope you never come to repair my installation

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 13:46:37 +0100, "Mogweed" wrote:


I'm a BT engineer so I have to advise against it as it is actually illegal
for you to go into our side of the NTE5.

As a BT technician you should know that it isn't illegal and hasn't
been for many years. It is however a contravention of the Self
Provision Licence issued under Section 7 of the Telecommunications
Act 1984 which few people even know they have :-).

If you were to disregard my advice,
then make sure that you have the correct IDC punch-down tool (or "podger" as
we call them up here in the north )) and take the time to do a good job.
It's an easy job - there's no witchcraft or black magic involved and almost
anyone should be able to terminate an NTE5 correctly but the only people on
the planet legally entitled to do it are us BT engineers.

Youse BT technicians would surely use a screwdriver - the BT side
connections on an NTE 5 are usually screws are they not? (Other than
that I wholeheartedly agree with the need to use a proper Krone tool
for all blade connector wiring).


--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

"Peter Parry" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 13:46:37 +0100, "Mogweed" wrote:


I'm a BT engineer so I have to advise against it as it is actually
illegal
for you to go into our side of the NTE5.

As a BT technician you should know that it isn't illegal and hasn't
been for many years. It is however a contravention of the Self
Provision Licence issued under Section 7 of the Telecommunications
Act 1984 which few people even know they have :-).

Just out of interest, being neither a BT engineer or someone who would loose
any sleep over such a contravention, doesn't contravening a licence issued
under an act of Parliament count as illegal?


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

Mogweed wrote:
If you end up putting any faults on the line and an engineer is sent out,
you'll have to pay a callout charge of £75 plus his time and BT may suspend
your telephone service and may even take legal proceedings against you

I know this is the official line, but in the real world how often does
this *actually* happen? Has anyone ever heard of it? I mean steps 2 or
3 (suspension and legal stuff), not step 1.

David

"Lobster" wrote in message
...
Mogweed wrote:
If you end up putting any faults on the line and an engineer is sent out,
you'll have to pay a callout charge of £75 plus his time and BT may
suspend your telephone service and may even take legal proceedings
against you

I know this is the official line, but in the real world how often does
this *actually* happen? Has anyone ever heard of it? I mean steps 2 or 3
(suspension and legal stuff), not step 1.

David


It's extremely rare as long as the customer makes a good cuppa )

Seriously, I don't know of any engineer pedantic enough to report a
customer - I never have. In fact Peter Parry's earlier post says that it's
no longer illegal, which I didn't know - just goes to show how often it was
ever put into practice. Mind you, they never tell us cable jointers anything
)

Mogweed.

Christian McArdle wrote:
What are the legalities of doing this myself?


You're not allowed.


but what are the repercussions of doing the work myself?


That depends if you balls it up. I might have moved a master socket myself
once, and I may not have had any problems if I had done so...

OTOH, if you start chopping the cable or shorting them out, the exchange may
boot you off and leave you with some explaining to do.

What happens if your kitchen fitter wrecks it (though extensions still
work) and you have to repair the PCB (live!) with soldered links?

"Bob Mannix" wrote in message
...

Just out of interest, being neither a BT engineer or someone who would
loose
any sleep over such a contravention, doesn't contravening a licence issued
under an act of Parliament count as illegal?

Channel 4 do it regularly and rarely get more than a slapped wrist.

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 17:17:40 +0100, "Bob Mannix"
wrote:


Just out of interest, being neither a BT engineer or someone who would loose
any sleep over such a contravention, doesn't contravening a licence issued
under an act of Parliament count as illegal?

Not necessarily. It may lead to a civil case being brought but it
isn't automatically illegal. The Self Provision Licence certainly
doesn't mention the consequences (if any) of violating it.


--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 16:24:02 GMT, Lobster
wrote:


I know this is the official line, but in the real world how often does
this *actually* happen? Has anyone ever heard of it? I mean steps 2 or
3 (suspension and legal stuff), not step 1.

The only time I have heard of action being taken (and I don't know if
it ever went to court) was a case, several years ago, of someone who
thought their neighbour had tapped their phone line so connected it
to a 13A plug and put 240VAC on it.

--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

I know this is the official line, but in the real world how often does
this *actually* happen? Has anyone ever heard of it? I mean steps 2 or
3 (suspension and legal stuff), not step 1.

The only time I have heard of action being taken (and I don't know if
it ever went to court) was a case, several years ago, of someone who
thought their neighbour had tapped their phone line so connected it
to a 13A plug and put 240VAC on it.

Peter, this sounds a good one, do you have any more info?
A link?

Cheers Rob

On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 22:15:43 +0100, wrote:


Peter, this sounds a good one, do you have any more info?
A link?

I'll try and find one - I read about it in a medical publication.
Apparently the person concerned was convinced their neighbour was
breaking in and spying on them. They had gradually wired all the
windows and doors to the mains. Finally they decided the phone was
tapped and wired that up to a 13A socket as well. Various protective
circuits took exception to this treatment and it didn't take BT too
long to find out where the problem was. Apparently making the house
safe again took some considerable time as almost everything metal was
wired to 240VAC. Not sure what Part Pee would make of it!

--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 08:40:07 UTC, Peter Parry wrote:

long to find out where the problem was. Apparently making the house
safe again took some considerable time as almost everything metal was
wired to 240VAC. Not sure what Part Pee would make of it!

Well, if it was equipotentially bonded....! (to 240v)

--
Bob Eager
begin a new life...dump Windows!

"Peter Parry" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 22:15:43 +0100, wrote:


Peter, this sounds a good one, do you have any more info?
A link?

I'll try and find one - I read about it in a medical publication.
Apparently the person concerned was convinced their neighbour was
breaking in and spying on them. They had gradually wired all the
windows and doors to the mains. Finally they decided the phone was
tapped and wired that up to a 13A socket as well. Various protective
circuits took exception to this treatment and it didn't take BT too
long to find out where the problem was. Apparently making the house
safe again took some considerable time as almost everything metal was
wired to 240VAC. Not sure what Part Pee would make of it!



Probably not much to say on the matter & perfectly compliant as long as it
was all wired up via 13A plugs!!!!


--
Richard Sampson

mail me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

"Peter Parry" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 17:17:40 +0100, "Bob Mannix"
wrote:


Just out of interest, being neither a BT engineer or someone who would
loose
any sleep over such a contravention, doesn't contravening a licence
issued
under an act of Parliament count as illegal?

Not necessarily. It may lead to a civil case being brought but it
isn't automatically illegal. The Self Provision Licence certainly
doesn't mention the consequences (if any) of violating it.

A slightly oblique answer! The consequences of an action have little to do
with whether it is illegal or not. "Illegal" just means "in violation of a
law". Laws in this country are set by Act of Parliament and by judicial
decisions (where the Acts are not clear). I wasn't asking whether you would
get into trouble for doing it, just whether it was illegal.


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 17:44:31 +0100, "Bob Mannix"
wrote:


A slightly oblique answer! The consequences of an action have little to do
with whether it is illegal or not. "Illegal" just means "in violation of a
law".

It is not in violation of a law.


--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/