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[Raulllll]

Hi
Been searching around for the last week or so for an answer but still none the wiser.

Our problem is we've got an old LJU5/1a master socket that we think is going wrong. Our phone line gets all crackly and our internet connection keeps dropping off. We're on Sky 20mb unlimited but that speed has dropped from a steady 16mb to a flaky connection that varies between 1mb and 7mb. Upload is a pathetic 240kbps.
Been on the BT website and used their line checker, comes up as no faults.
The crackling on the phone comes and goes.

What i want to know is will BT charge to replace the old socket.
Being as the crackling on the phone comes and goes if we get an engineer out and the line is clear they will say theres no fault and charge us for the visit.

This is what our socket looks like

[jeffbb]

Hi and welcome

The first thing is to try and get the line sorted  DO NOT MENTION INTERNET when you report your problem .
Before reporting a fault  you could  try to
  improve your connection
When you are sure Your wiring is OK . Then try to pick your time to report the fault when your line is crackling so that the operator can hear it . You could also try to record it .

have you actually done a

quiet line test [url]

Regards Jeff

edit  BT will charge if no fault is found or its your wiring causing the problem

[waltergmw]

Hi Raulll,

If you go to:-

www.bt.com/faults

and then test your phone, it may record a fault and which will then start the repair process.

N.B. although it says you can't test your line if you're using the phone or broadband, it doesn't seem to mind that you're still using the broadband.

(The best way would be to use a different broadband connection though.)

Kind regards,
Walter

[Raulllll]

and then test your phone, it may record a fault and which will then start the repair process.

Just got lucky.

Tried it a few times earlier with nothing detected, done it just now and it detected something.
Will see if this goes anywhere.

[waltergmw]

I've just noticed that your BT wiring looks to be the old flat twin which might be a larger diameter.
It's unusual to see the insulation stripped off and just the bare copper in the connectors.
If BT visit you, it might be worth asking if they'd replace the external wiring as well as fitting a new NTE5 master socket preferably with a SSFP integral filter faceplate.

(If you use both sockets, I trust you have two filter dongles?)

Kind regards,
Walter

[HPsauce]

I've just noticed that your BT wiring looks to be the old flat twin

I had that stuff, about 30m of it from a pole over the road.
It was grey and the insulation was rotting.
Phoned up BT and complained about noise on the line and it was replaced PDQ.
The engineer did it immediately he arrived, saying it "wasn't to spec" then tested afterwards.

Already had a modern NTE5A so they didn't touch that.

[waltergmw]

We really need Ezzer to add a few words here.

I suspect HPsauce is talking about the very thin grey hard drawn steel drop wire which became a nightmare as soon as the insulation was punctured.
The end result was rusty wire and lots of horrible intermittent connections.
I don't think the hard drawn steel would bend as shown in the photograph, nor would it make a reasonable connection in the IDC connectors.

I think the flat twin cable in Raulllll's picture is much thicker copper wire, but it's difficult to be sure.
I'll try to add a picture of the steel wire later.

Kind regards,
Walter

[HPsauce]

I suspect HPsauce is talking about the very thin grey hard drawn steel drop wire

No, exact same stuff as in the picture, sort of twin flex with no strain relief and no twists.   

I've still got a few metres of it as they only joined up externally (lazy b's  ) and left the final run to the socket in situ.

[orainsear]

A previous property I moved to had that type of wire (I had it replaced to spec cable) between an external connection box on the outside of the house and the NTE.  End on it looks a bit like a figure of 8, and there is a hearty diameter of copper in it, however it's not a twisted pair so lacks the protection against RF inteference for DSL use.

[HPsauce]

How did you get it swapped, my engineer just wasn't interested in doing the last few metres - too much trouble I suspect.

[orainsear]

How did you get it swapped, my engineer just wasn't interested in doing the last few metres - too much trouble I suspect.

The connection box at the top of the house was old and water was condensing inside it, so that and the grey wire were replaced at the same time.

[Raulllll]

Engineer came and replaced the socket box, well the front atleast. Swapped it with an NTE5.
Didn't change any of the cables though.

Phone line seems ok, broadband is working. Just got to wait and see if it gets back up to the speed it should be.