Phone and internet problem

[BaP]

I have a Sky package (TV, phone and broadband). When first installed my internet was running at something like 800 BYTES per second. Not good.

A bit peeved at this, I call Sky who advised me to take the faceplate off the BT master socket and plug my microfilter straight into the test socket. I did this and I now run at 4mb/s which is fine, because on their website they estimated 2-3mb/s. Not great but it'll do. The problem is that because it's straight into the master socket, I can't have my telephone working at the same time as the internet as the test socket will bypass it? Not sure why - but that's how it is.

My question is - because Sky say this is clearly a faceplate issue, will BT replace it for free? I've emailed them, no response. If they won't - can someone recommend me a faceplate and once I've purchased it, how can I get the wiring right? I can't seem to find a guide anywhere (also I think a special tool is require?). Also - am I allowed to mess around with this, or is it all the property of BT and a strict 'no touching please' rule applies?

Any info would be great.

Thanks,
Ben

[Milky Bar Kid]

Erm...what ever happens, I don't think you should touch it...I've heard the tail tidy story....

[SoulKiss]

I have a Sky package (TV, phone and broadband). When first installed my internet was running at something like 800 BYTES per second. Not good.

A bit peeved at this, I call Sky who advised me to take the faceplate off the BT master socket and plug my microfilter straight into the test socket. I did this and I now run at 4mb/s which is fine, because on their website they estimated 2-3mb/s. Not great but it'll do. The problem is that because it's straight into the master socket, I can't have my telephone working at the same time as the internet as the test socket will bypass it? Not sure why - but that's how it is.

My question is - because Sky say this is clearly a faceplate issue, will BT replace it for free? I've emailed them, no response. If they won't - can someone recommend me a faceplate and once I've purchased it, how can I get the wiring right? I can't seem to find a guide anywhere (also I think a special tool is require?). Also - am I allowed to mess around with this, or is it all the property of BT and a strict 'no touching please' rule applies?

Any info would be great.

Thanks,
Ben

Unplug the internet, put the faceplate back on, plug in your phone, call 150 from the phone and speak to the nice BT helldesk person.

[BaP]

Unplug the internet, put the faceplate back on, plug in your phone, call 150 from the phone and speak to the nice BT helldesk person.

Didn't even know you could do this - can tell I've only just moved out ;)

Thank you.

And MBK - the tail tidy was my first ever attempt at anything, don't judge!

[metalangel]

Take your BT socket apart? I told them to pull the other one when they suggested this in response to my knackered Sky router. Sure enough, a new router and the problems I was having disappeared.

[Luckypants]

Indeed try what Soulkiss suggests, BT may help if the faceplate is faulty.

If no help from BT, try a ADSL Nation XTF faceplate, which replaces the standard BT NTE5 faceplate with a faceplate with built in ADSL filter. It plugs in exactly the same as the BT faceplate. Works a treat and will probably resolve your issue. This will isolate any dodgy house phone wiring from your ADSL internet,(we could go on about testing your internal phone cabling etc, but this is a simple fix) then you have a phone socket with a socket for phone and ADSL. Simples. There are other makes on the market, but I have no experience of them, this is the one I have and it works.

http://www.adslnation.com/images/XTF-header.jpg

[Woz]

The master socket is BT's property. You can remove the bottom half in order to run an extension off it but opening the rest is the proverbial can of worms.

Call BT and have them test the line first. Then take it from there.

[Milky Bar Kid]

Didn't even know you could do this - can tell I've only just moved out ;)

Thank you.

And MBK - the tail tidy was my first ever attempt at anything, don't judge!

Yeh...but I also remember the ACF50 question you asked me! Hehehehe!

[BaP]

Luckypants - thanks for this.

Will this fit even though my BT mastersocket faceplate appears to be only the bottom half of the socket? I.e. when I take the screws out - only half of the front plate comes off. That looks as though it's a whole one...

Number 2 here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=bt+nte5+master+socket&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=7658182794&ref=pd_sl_57vc9958b_b

Also - if that's the case then I will need to take the wires from the back of the old one and shove them into the new one. As MBK said - not a good idea.

Will call BT first I think. Don't think the line is faulty as being plugged into the test socket without the faceplate all runs fine.

[qwerf]

Do you have any extension sockets in the house BaP? As if you call an Openreach engineer out, all he will do is come out anddis-connect your extensions, fit a new NTE5 if needed and then give u a charge as it was an internal fault...

The main point of having the new NTE5's is so Service providers can advise if the fault is outside the house or inside, as all extension sockets in the house (If wired properly) Should be wired into the faceplate of the NTE.

[BaP]

Yup, got an extension socket in a bedroom but nothing running from it at all.

The problem is the master socket. Test socket behind faceplate = Internet works but no landline available.
Put faceplate on and plug in microfilter = no Internet :(

Will call to moan to Sky first and then BT

[Stuuk1]

No no no you are going about this all wrong...

I have subbed for BT for a few years. Also send Bri a message and he also had dealing with BT apparently.

The best way to deal with this would to be to catch a local BT guy if you see one pulled over. Explain it and most are usually more than happy to quickly pop round and fix it. A cup of tea and 2 biscuits and they are putty in your hands... He will just replace the whole thing.

The tool you would need it called a punch down tool, but you can do the same thing with a small terminal screw driver, difference being that the screw driver won't cut the top of the cable off.

[Stuuk1]

http://www.rob-r.co.uk/other/UKphonecatwiring.htm

Found that, but I'd still stick with my original plan..

[tigersaw]

Can you not just plug the microfilter/splitter into the test socket, hence having both your modem and phone ?

[BaP]

I will try and flag down a BT engineer - seems the best way to get this sorted.

[qwerf]

If you was a bit closer, Id come and help for a tea and chocolate biscuit :P You gotta keep us fed!

[BaP]

Work won't bring you close enough? I'd feed you so much tea and chocolate biscuits you'd explode!