Phone line Conections

[nod]

We are about to book a phone line connection 

We are having to go with an overhead cable 

It seems that whichever company we decide to use  Openreach carry out all the physical work 

We have always been with BT for internet 

Does anyone know of any offers 

[HerbJ]

When I needed to reconnect the phone line on my new build, I had to go with an overhead cable ( which had been disconnected by BT for free prior to the demolition of the old house). I wanted to get a line installed early, as I needed to get it routed through to my equipment rack as part of the electrical 1st Fix.

 

I phoned around to get an idea  of prices. BT were a pain to deal with and insisted on going to them for the service, as well as charging £150 approx for the installtion( from memory). I eventually went with TalkTalk, who installed the line for free and much quicker  (in a week or so)than BT were promising. I only paid the line rental during then build  but it came with free internet, which was useful for all my contractors. Again from memory, the new connection was installed by  a contractor, who I was working for BT but it was all organised by TalkTalk.

 

I could have gone underground but BT were quoting £1500 for connecting into a line with their excavation being only a metre or so.

[joe90]

I went with John Lewis for phone and broadband ( they use Plusnet) much cheaper than BT and much faster ( and I used to work for BT ?)

[Jml]

2 minutes ago, joe90 said:

I went with John Lewis for phone and broadband ( they use Plusnet) much cheaper than BT and much faster ( and I used to work for BT ?)

 

We have also recently changed from BT to plusnet (actually owned by BT) as BT were much more expensive and would not even match the offers it had for its new customers for us at renewal of contract.  Been very pleased with the service so far.

[ProDave]

I went with BT, paid their standard £65 connection charge. Because they took way longer than they should to make the connection, I got most of that connection fee refunded and a substantial discount applied.  I have just renewed with BT for £23.99 per month for line rental and unlimited broadband, they price matched what Plusnet were offering so saved the hassle of actually switching providers.  I don't make calls with the l;andline, too expensive, my £5 per month SIM only mobile deal takes care of all the calls I need.

[Temp]

We have been with PlusNet for 10+ years. They aren't perfect but I've always found their customer support quite good.

 

My main gripe (also with other ISP) is the lax security some apply to email account passwords. If your email account is hacked the bad guys can request new passwords from other companies that reset passwords by emailing you a link.  

 

See also..

 

From 2015..

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/11/25/plusnet_still_delivering_passwords_plaintext/

Plusnet ignores GCHQ, spits out plaintext passwords to customers"

 

From 2017..

https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Account-Billing/Password-security/td-p/1419734

The plain text of the password is required for the PPP

CHAP authentication used when your router connects to Plusnet.

 

[Temp]

I would get the phone line installed using BT then switch to whoever you choose afterwards when it's working. In theory all ISP should have the same relationship with Openreach that BT do but I'm not convinced.

[joe90]

Well we had a fault recently, the extension phone sockets developed noise on the line but only when the router was powered up. It was me, not the ISP that worked out the extension wiring was not filtered so I had to supply a filter for the other two phones in the house. In my day ( a few decades ago) the master socket filtered the extension wiring and the router would only work in the master socket. The tinternet was where I discovered the solution, so beware.

[ProDave]

Open Reach only normally supply a standard master socket. I have just ordered a filtered front plate to fit a standard NTE5 front plate so the slave sockets for phones don't need a filter.

 

Also having all your slave phone wiring filtered means it is less likely to impact your broadband speed in a marginal area.

[joe90]

28 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Open Reach only normally supply a standard master socket. I have just ordered a filtered front plate to fit a standard NTE5 front plate so the slave sockets for phones don't need a filter.

 

Also having all your slave phone wiring filtered means it is less likely to impact your broadband speed in a marginal area.

 

Ah, well done Dave, could you link to what you have purchased as I would Like  to do the same.

[ProDave]

This is the thing https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ADSL-BROADBAND-FACEPLATE-SPLITTER-for-NTE5-Sockets/172241127361?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

That is the one for the basic flat NTE5 master socket. It replaces the plug in bottom section. If you have the alternative version of master socket with a rounded front, you need a different version.

 

The extension phone wiring connects to the filtered "phone" wiring and the router plugs into the ADSL socket, again without a filter.

[dpmiller]

Pretty sure there's an internal IDC connector in those too so you can run your filtered extensions into the back of the backbox

[Guest Alphonsox]

The one Openreach fitted at my place a month ago was the new NTE5C master socket with a dual connector Mk4 front plate.

Details and comparison with the older sockets here...

https://www.telecomgreen.co.uk/engineering/bt-openreach-new-nte5c-master-socket-guided-tour/

[nod]

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

This is the thing https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ADSL-BROADBAND-FACEPLATE-SPLITTER-for-NTE5-Sockets/172241127361?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

That is the one for the basic flat NTE5 master socket. It replaces the plug in bottom section. If you have the alternative version of master socket with a rounded front, you need a different version.

 

The extension phone wiring connects to the filtered "phone" wiring and the router plugs into the ADSL socket, again without a filter.

Great link

[Temp]

+1 to a master socket with separate phone and broadband sockets. No need for filters anywhere else.

 

With one of these you must plug the modem into the master socket but that's also recommended if you want the best broadband possible. Tell BT where you want the master socket and modem to go.  

 

We use DECT cordless phones with the primary base station plugged into the phone socket on the master. That way we have almost no "phone" wire in the house. Just two short wires, one from the master socket to the modem and one to the DECT base, all three in same cupboard.

Edited May 10, 2018 by Temp

[dpmiller]

master socket in our current house was in the front door hallway. I ran a cat5e from there up to my favoured place for a master (in the attic, as that's where the "office" pc is and is central for wifi coverage). Standard old single master downstairs, the incoming line goes up to the attic on one twisted pair and the filtered signal comes back down another, with no interference. BT guy that did the fibre "upgrade" was happy with that...