Master Socket and Connectors

[Kenzie22]

We have an old house and the telephone cable inside the house needs replacing. Its been painted over (by previous owners) numerous times and the cable is in poor condition. 

By the front door, we have what we think is a BT78A connector box. It is from there we want to change the cable.

We seem to have an OpenReach Master Socket in a cupboard about 20 foot inside the house.

We also have 2 more master sockets along the way which are NTE5 type; one has BT on it and the other just a T, with 2 dots on the top right of the T, which I think is the old BT logo. Both are dead namely if we plug a telephone in, there is no signal. We think the box with a T on it has been used effectively as a junction box. The BT box has wires going into the back, and the front accessible bit has wires too, but the box is not working.

Not connected at the moment, but we've run a cable from by the BT78A to what we think is our Master Socket (the OpenReach one). 

Our understanding was that where the cable came into the house, we shouldn't touch the BT cable/connector but BT are refusing to upgrade the connector without their usual hefty fees.

So 2 queries please:

Are we safe and legal to access the BT78A and change it, connect the new cable and run it to the OpenReach Master?

The 2 other 'master' sockets presumably we can just bypass completely as we're running a new cable?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[Kenzie22]

Here's a photo of the connector box by the front door. I assume the black cable is the BT master connection. We want to change the white cable and probably change the box whilst we're at it. BT are refusing to change it free of charge saying its our responsibility ( we thought they were responsible for the point of entry to the house but they say not ).

[gg30340]

See link about engineer charges.

https://www.bt.com/help/landline/getting-set-up/costs-and-charges/engineer-home-improvement-service-...

[Kenzie22]

To clarify, what I'm asking is whether it is legal to change the connector box and am I right in assuming the black cable in the connector box is the main external telephone line?
Thanks.

[licquorice]

The black cable is the incoming cable and the 2 wires carrying your circuit will be the Orange and white wires. Whilst you are not supposed to interfere with the master socket/incoming circuit, I think the term 'legal' is a bit strong. I don't think Openreach will be sending the police round, just don't expect any help if it all goes wrong. Phone/broadband wiring is extremely simple, just 2 wires.

[Kenzie22]

Thanks Licquorice. I spoke to BT and they said only the cable was 'theirs' not the box. They disclaimed responsibility and refused to do it as a 'free' job. Was the person I spoke to wrong? Have you got something I can quote at them to get them to change their mind? I couldn't find anything online to say BT / OpenReach were responsible for the first box into the house.

[gg30340]

The link I posted was to show you where the demarcation line between your and Openreach's responsibility for the line/equipment was.

[Kenzie22]

Thank you gg30340. I did look at the link but due to the nature of my query, I couldn't interpret that page to my situation. The connector box (which is the first entry box in the house) isn't damaged or defective, so BT want to charge to come and upgrade it whereas I thought it was against BT regulations for us to interfere with it. My interpretation of 'interfere' is to change the box.
Is BT correct? Can we change the box ourselves (we'd probably get an electrician to do it)?

[licquorice]

I know what I would do. 😉

[gg30340 · Accepted solution]

Google and YouTube are your friend. Do a search to see what is needed. Its not brain surgery and I'msure you could do it your self. 

Nobody is going to check up and if the "Openreach  Police"  ever found out they would need a warrant to get into your house and then prove it was you that changed it. It ain't going to happen. Change it your self or pay a telecom engineer to do it for you. It will take about 15minutes to do so don't pay any more than an hours labour.