Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[SherlockPhones]

Apparently it has 3 electronic components, a cap, a resistor and a surge arrester.  They seem to be located inside the unit, inaccessible with the faceplate removed.

How can I tell if they're causing ADSL issues, e.g. low SNR margins or an HR fault?

[tubaman]

What issue are you having as it's unlikely the NTE is causing it but certainly not impossible? If its got a surge arrester (later ones didn't have I believe) it'll be visible in the back of the socket and is a plug-in part so you can pull it out to see if it makes any difference.
Strictly speaking the NTE is owned by BT and if you believe there is a fault you should get them to look into it once you have ruled out any issues with internal extensions etc which are your responsibility.

[SherlockPhones]

Thanks for the reply.

It's a 1993 or earlier NTE5A.  Has the BT pied piper logo on it.  No extensions at all.  I have checked the back of the faceplate too.

The fault is:

ADSL goes down during wet weather.
Incoming calls sometimes cause ADSL connection drops (not always when wet).
Outgoing calls sometimes cause ADSL drop.
Incoming calls (ringing) can bring ADSL back up.
Crackle and router bleeps heard on dialtone/QLT, during wet weather.

Have tried all combo of filters/modem-routers/cables/corded phones in the test socket to no avail.

Line is underground. 0.8km to PCP.  3km (can't be certain of this) PCP to exchange.
448k up sync (1056 max 19.0db / 31.5db atten) and 3648k down sync (4172 max 7.7db / 51.5 atten).

OR chaps tested disconnected d-side at the BT66 (ruling out master socket etc)  with own kit and found:

PSTN only - No fault.
PSTN + ADSL = HR fault.

They replaced the entire d-side. No change, same fault.  Said to book broadband boost engineer.  I don't think they exist anymore.

Follow-up engineer (reported as ADSL fault) refused to do the job unless he could check the master socket and equipment.  Told him d-side had been fully done by 3 OR engineers.

After he had been, things have been a lot better though, so maybe he did do something.  Takes more rain to send ADSL down, line is crackle/bleep free, unless it rains a lot.

Not keen on calling out OR again due to them charging 85 squid if no fault found. 

[g3uiss]

That’s all most certainly a HR fault. They can see the disconnections so a call is very unlikely to cause a charge. Rain is unlikely to cause this if it was the master socket must be external.

[tubaman]

That’s all most certainly a HR fault. They can see the disconnections so a call is very unlikely to cause a charge. Rain is unlikely to cause this if it was the master socket must be external.

Fully agree with the above. By 'replaced entire D-side' I assume they moved you onto a different pair, which may also not be perfect of course. Where you say they found 'PSTN Only - no fault' and 'PSTN + ADSL - HR fault' is rather odd as the ADSL part connects inside the telephone exchange so would be unlikely to cause such a fault.

[j0hn]

They replaced the entire d-side.

All 0.8km of it?
That's extremely unlikely. It's all multi pair cable split in lots of different sections.
They might have replaced a damaged section or 2 or your drop cable but it would be extremely rare (like hens teeth) to replace 800m of d-side, particularly in the middle of a national rollout that's replacing the copper. Probably a couple days work for a couple men.

I also find it somewhat astounding that they are replacing any parts of your d-side without replacing the BT branded master socket.
Especially if they are picking up a fault at the BT66 only when the line is in sync.

Sounds like an HR fault, especially ringing bringing the ADSL back online. Unlikely to be anything to do with the master socket but they really should have changed it.

[Black Sheep]

Fully agree with the above. By 'replaced entire D-side' I assume they moved you onto a different pair, which may also not be perfect of course. Where you say they found 'PSTN Only - no fault' and 'PSTN + ADSL - HR fault' is rather odd as the ADSL part connects inside the telephone exchange so would be unlikely to cause such a fault.

The PSTN test is done at a very low frequency, and can easily 'get through' a small HR type of fault.
The ADSL test is carried out at far higher frequencies, and as such, can far easier detect a HR fault.

It reads as if his first engineer was booked as a PSTN only fault, ergo the request to book a Boost engineer.

However, it is mandatory that any BT Piper logo NTE is changed, because of the problems the older surge protectors caused to the DSL frequencies.   

[tubaman]

The PSTN test is done at a very low frequency, and can easily 'get through' a small HR type of fault.
The ADSL test is carried out at far higher frequencies, and as such, can far easier detect a HR fault.

It reads as if his first engineer was booked as a PSTN only fault, ergo the request to book a Boost engineer.

However, it is mandatory that any BT Piper logo NTE is changed, because of the problems the older surge protectors caused to the DSL frequencies.

That makes sense - thanks Black Sheep
With respect to the surge protector I'd be tempted to just remove it and see if it makes any difference.
 

[SherlockPhones]

Thanks to all for all replies.

I too suspected an HR fault but didn't know where.  Gave the OR chap the line symptoms and let him get on with it, hoping he'd find it and fix it.

He disconnected the D-side at the BT66 and ran all tests from there, to be certain the master socket and flop wire were out of circuit.

The actual phrase he used was "you now have a new line right back to the cabinet".  I too was quite surprised by that.  I'm still of the opinion that it was a D-side pair swap but I took him at his word and did thank him for going to the trouble.  They still found the HR fault using their own test kit even after the D-side swap/replacement.

The line is underground in conduit, no T poles.

The visit was indeed booked as PSTN fault, due to the noise/crackle on the line when it rained.  Was hoping that would result in a repaired line for PSTN and ADSL.

The last visit was booked as an ADSL fault.  I suspect that he may have done a PQT+swap at the PCP/Exchange unless he pair swapped a section with the fault.

[tubaman]

...
The actual phrase he used was "you now have a new line right back to the cabinet".  ...

I would interpret that as "new to you" as opposed to "totally replaced".
 

[SherlockPhones]

That may have been how he intended it.  However, I wouldn't call, "it's been in the ground for 30 years", "new".

[g3uiss]

That’s the general terminology I’m afraid. New Pair, also called a pair swap which is a better way of expressing it. However it’s still very possible to have a faulty joint as been explained to you.

[parkdale]

Why was he not allowed to change the master socket?

[Edinburgh_lad]

Why was he not allowed to change the master socket?

Prob because they know where the issue is  .

Good luck to the OP in trying to get their line sorted. Sounds like the same sort of cowboys that mucked me about for 2 years.

[Black Sheep]

Why was he not allowed to change the master socket?

I'm not reading it that the engineer wasn't allowed to change it ?? Just that they didn't.