Old Copper line left behind temporarily

[HHGTTG]

A week ago today my FTTP was installed to my house  Kelly Group did this though I was expecting Openreach, as I see their vans all the time around Bromley and especially outside the exchange less than a mile from my house.

After completion, the technician ( pleasant chap) did nothing regard plugging in my phone into the green socket although I know the procedure.  When I looked out of the hall window I could see my old copper wire still in place and so  queried this and was told because we were listed as 'vulnerable' people this happens and will be left there for another 28 days or so and was told we could still use the phone via the old copper connection.

He left and I was a bit confused. I definitively had a dial tone on the phone and left it at that. In the meanwhile BT contacted me later telling me to plug a phone into the router. I initially ignored that and then found out that we could not make or receive calls  via the old copper connection. The Home Hub manager showed the phone section to be in red, I think so was definitely waiting for something my end to be done. After phoning help line I plugged a phone into the green socket on the Smart Hub 2 and eventually it became live. I then paired a DV adapter with the hub successfully and moved the DECT answer phone etc back into the lounge where it always resided. So misinformation then from Openreach/Kelly. Now it remains to be seen what happens in three weeks time regarding removal of the old defunct line. I'd like to remove the master socket but there's still a voltage there presumably? 

[WSH]

They leave the wire so it can be reconnected if something goes wrong with the DV install.

The hub usually needs a reboot before it picks up the DV settings properly, so that is probably why it was red.

The voltage involved is 50V.  Enough to produce sparks if the wires short but not enough to be dangerous.  Just make sure you isolate the wires if you remove the old master socket, so they don't short against the backbox.

Edit:  In fact, if you leave it the three weeks, it should be disconnected after that, if you are bothered about the voltage.  (Always a good idea to avoid touching any bare contacts anyway).

[HHGTTG]

Thanks for that explanation. But will the od wire be physically removed?

[WSH]

I doubt it.  It's not cost effective, scrap value of the copper-wise.  What you'll find is that it will remain active for a while then it will go dead.  During that time it will have a temporary number assigned to it.

[36ULW]

It’ll be removed as part of the Copper Recovery Project.

They can’t start it until everyone in the U.K. has Full Fibre so you’re probably looking at some time post 2032.

[HHGTTG]

Well I won't be around or at least in this house by then!