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Message 1 of 5

Fix overhead cable and master socket

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Hello,

After installing a scaffolding for some work on the roof, my builder left the phone cable as shown in the two left-most pictures below. There is an elastic band holding the cable instead of being attached to the beam and the cables are left bare (instead of being in the white box under the soffit).

phone_line.jpg

 

Who do I have to contact to fix this? I am not a BT customer (using fibre with Virgin Media instead). Shall I speak to BT or OpenReach? How much is this likely to cost?

https://www.openreach.com/building-developers-and-projects/altering-our-network

The master socket by the entrance door is also unsightly. Ideally, I would like to replace both boxes for more "modern" ones and have a tidy cable. Same question here: is it for BT or OpenReach? I understand a BT engineer visit is charged at £130. Could this be done at the same time than the other outdoor job?

Many thanks.

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Message 2 of 5

Re: Fix overhead cable and master socket

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@MikeDeb 

Its Openreach you would have to contact.

It looks like a health and safety issue, as the cable may come down.

https://www.openreach.com/help-and-support/damage-health-and-safety

As for the master socket, as you are not connected to the Openreach network, they are not going to be interested.

 

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Message 3 of 5

Re: Fix overhead cable and master socket

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Thank you  @Keith_Beddoe 

Do you have any idea how much I could be charged for that?

I thought that everything up to the master socket (and including it) was the property of Openreach. If they are not interested and no one else can touch it, do I have any other option?

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Message 4 of 5

Re: Fix overhead cable and master socket

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Fixing a health and safety issue should be free. As for the master socket, if you never intend using the Openreach copper network in the near future, bearing in mind that its being replaced by optical fibre, then you could simply remove the master socket and just leave the overhead connection in place.

If you do move provider and FTTP is available, then the overhead cable will be replaced by overhead optical fibre, and the master socket would no longer be used.

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Message 5 of 5

Re: Fix overhead cable and master socket

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You are not a BT customer , so obviously nothing to do with BT , you could try contacting OR directly, but that is more usually for something that is dangerous in a public area ( something like a broken wire hanging down to the pavement at the pole end ) not usually at the house end, especially on a line that isn’t even in use.
If the line was in use , you would report it to whoever supplied service , and in your case it potentially would be chargeable ( as it’s not simply wear and tear ) but OR can only charge a provider for work , and obviously you don’t have a provider that OR can charge…If OR come out chances are they would say  it’s ‘fine’ but if it breaks , obviously it would then be dealt with from the pole , or they may simply cut the wire down and remove it from the pole anyway….the other things you want wouldn’t be done.