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Puzzled by 'Master Box' being on sale

VetinariVetinari Posts: 3,345
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in Landline Phones and VoIP Services #1
I needed to buy a new faceplate for a friend's phone system and am somewhat puzzled to see a lot of master box/faceplate units available.

Surely you are not allowed to change the master box as it is, by definition, on the wrong side of the demarcation line.

I'd quite like to change both if it's permissible and am rather surprised to see so may so easily available if it isn't.

Comments

  • SteveMcKSteveMcK Posts: 5,457
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    #2
    The phone company (usually BT) doesn't like you changing them, and may charge you to put it back the way it was if you do, but there's no prohibition as such. Many people do change them as a DIY job to avoid the callout fees that their provider would charge
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    #3
    Plus there is nothing to stop you using an NTE5 socket as an extension if you so wish.

    And of course if you are wiring up a private switchboard you could use NTE5 sockets in the offices.
  • mooxmoox Posts: 18,880
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    #4
    They sometimes get used for private phone systems and the likes of Virgin also use similar sockets for their own phone lines.

    Although I would bet with certainty that the eBay sellers couldn't possibly be BT engineers with Openreach branded sockets regularly "falling out" of their van and onto auction sites
  • BahtatBahtat Posts: 756
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    #5
    And socket manufacturers such as MK sell their own master sockets. I fitted one of these when I wanted to change my old LJ fixed front. I've never had a NTE5. I assumed you are allowed to do this if they sell them and that they work just as well?
  • mooxmoox Posts: 18,880
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    #6
    Bahtat wrote: »
    And socket manufacturers such as MK sell their own master sockets. I fitted one of these when I wanted to change my old LJ fixed front. I've never had a NTE5. I assumed you are allowed to do this if they sell them and that they work just as well?

    I doubt you're allowed to touch the master at all if it's not an NTE5, that was the point of introducing them, to add a clearly demarcated BT/customer split which allows the customer to add or change their own extension wiring without messing with BT's.

    Some officious BT technician might notice it's clearly not an ancient BT master socket nor an NTE5 and and note it down if you ever get one sent to your house, though. Others would probably just change it for an NTE5, especially if plied with tea and biscuits. Last time I had one visit (for fibre install) they swapped my NTE5 for a newer one just because they could
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    #7
    Bahtat wrote: »
    And socket manufacturers such as MK sell their own master sockets. I fitted one of these when I wanted to change my old LJ fixed front. I've never had a NTE5. I assumed you are allowed to do this if they sell them and that they work just as well?

    Strictly speaking you are not allowed to touch the socket the incoming line terminates on. Only Openreach are really allowed to swap the sockets over. Though I have known them turn a blind eye to such things if you do a decent job.
  • BahtatBahtat Posts: 756
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    #8
    moox wrote: »
    I doubt you're allowed to touch the master at all if it's not an NTE5, that was the point of introducing them, to add a clearly demarcated BT/customer split which allows the customer to add or change their own extension wiring without messing with BT's.

    Some officious BT technician might notice it's clearly not an ancient BT master socket nor an NTE5 and and note it down if you ever get one sent to your house, though. Others would probably just change it for an NTE5, especially if plied with tea and biscuits. Last time I had one visit (for fibre install) they swapped my NTE5 for a newer one just because they could

    Well oddly enough I'm changing to BT infinity and I'm not sure if someone will need to come inside the house. At the moment the router is plugged into an extension socket but I've read it needs to plugged into the master for infinity. Will I require a BT master socket for this and how do I go about getting one, or am I in trouble now?

    Also, and this not my handywork, but the incoming line from the street pole is proper BT external cable until it gets to the wall. Then what looks to me like speaker cable (two thick solid cores) is spliced to the proper external cable, covered in insulation tape at the join, where it runs down the wall an into the master in the living room. Should I get something done about this? All I'm worried about is BT thinking I've done that, I changed the master socket yes, but the cabling outside is not my doing, no idea who did in fact.
  • mooxmoox Posts: 18,880
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    #9
    Bahtat wrote: »
    Well oddly enough I'm changing to BT infinity and I'm not sure if someone will need to come inside the house. At the moment the router is plugged into an extension socket but I've read it needs to plugged into the master for infinity. Will I require a BT master socket for this and how do I go about getting one, or am I in trouble now?

    It depends on the provider. Some no longer need someone to come to the house, they'll do their work in the cabinet and you will be sent the router (if you don't have the latest one) and some filters like you use today.

    Others will get BT to come and do a proper install including changing the socket, installing a filter (there's a clip-on one for the NTE5 that means you don't need filters at every socket anymore) and connecting the equipment. Some ISPs prefer this way because it means you're more likely to get the best speeds. Infinity/fibre is a bit more reliant on good wiring so it's debatable if the self-install approach is the best one.

    I think BT themselves is the former but Plusnet is the latter (Plusnet is owned by BT), so that shows you how differently some ISPs think.

    It's also worth asking whether you know if you live in a "fibre to the premises" area or not - i.e. are BT offering you up to 330Mbit or just up to 76Mbit. If you are, they'll do a full installation anyway as it requires a new cable to be run to your house. Not many people are lucky enough to have that available though
    Bahtat wrote: »
    Also, and this not my handywork, but the incoming line from the street pole is proper BT external cable until it gets to the wall. Then what looks to me like speaker cable (two thick solid cores) is spliced to the proper external cable, covered in insulation tape at the join, where it runs down the wall an into the master in the living room. Should I get something done about this? All I'm worried about is BT thinking I've done that, I changed the master socket yes, but the cabling outside is not my doing, no idea who did in fact.

    That doesn't sound like proper BT handiwork, but I don't think I'd be too worried. At worst they may charge you a fee to "fix" it, but if it's easy and you offer enough tea/biscuits/cakes to the installer they might be willing to overlook that. Assuming you get one sent to your home of course
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