I Have No Master Socket – Help! An Engineer’s Advice
Keep Calm and Keep Browsing No master socket? – No problem! There's nothing mysterious about them - they are just a socket! I recently removed a G.P.O junction box dating from the 1930s. Surprisingly, it was carrying high-speed, fibre-to-the-cabinet broadband. It...
How Can I Contact Openreach? Tips on Visits, and Other FAQ From An Engineer
How Do I Contact Openreach? You can’t contact Openreach – they operate as an engineering facility to the numerous service providers, such as Sky, Talktalk, Plusnet, BT, etc. Therefore, your service provider deals with them on your behalf. Their website is actually...
Can I Move My Router? FAQs Answered By An Engineer. Simply!
Can I Move My Router? Yes, probably. Telecom Green Ltd, independent phone and data engineers, have been relocating broadband routers and services for a number of years. This usually involves moving your service provider’s the incoming cable that arrives via a master...
What Exactly Is Digital Voice? FAQ and Common Sense From An Old-School Engineer
What’s Happening? Who Am I? I’m an independent telephone engineer based in North-East England, blogger of some experience However, I have no crafty intent to try and sell anything. Recently, some of my customers have asked questions about Digital Voice. I thought...
A Checkatrade-Approved Phone Engineer in The North East!
We were the first Checkatrade-approved phone engineer team in The North East! In February 2023, we achieved two significant “firsts” as telephone engineering company, residential and business. (Don't switch off yet – they are important to you as a potential customer.)...
An Index of Telecomms Help. Moving a Master Socket, and Other Stuff
Since first blogging on telecomms matters around 2005 about moving a master socket, our series of blogs appears to have helped many people. We're often asked about topics that we've already blogged about, and that other folks have contributed to with helpful comments....
An Old Phone Junction Box – What is it? What can I do with it?
Hiding somewhere in your house may be an old phone junction box. In my job as an independent telephone engineer, customers ask what they should do with it. Usually, it sits on a window ledge and prevents work on a window frame or blind installation. Therefore, I...
Joining Phone and Data Cables – Why You Must Use This Tool.
It's not that difficult joining phone and data cables with “punch-down” connectors. I mean those found on the back of phone and ethernet sockets. Simply, all that's needed are the right components and tools. However, use the wrong tools, and you risk having a few...
“Phone dead, Internet Working”. (What’s going on?)
Phone dead, internet working. Impossible? Well no, actually. As an engineer, I was utterly baffled the first time that I encountered this problem . The customer must be wrong. A short conversation. "Are you sure that you're not using next door's wifi?" "Nope" (I...
The Secret Life of an Old Master Socket. Why You Might Need to Change It.
You may find that, when you take it gently apart, your old master socket has a bewildering number of components and terminals. Some customers have approached me, confused, asking for advice. It's obviously time to write something Changing your old master socket? Yes,...
What Type of Telephone Cable? An Engineer’s Advice.
"Cable is cable" isn't it? What type of telephone cable? Will anything do? Not really. Particularly for running cables externally. As a telephone engineer, I encounter many cases where internal cable has been used externally. See the picture above. It never ends...
Installing Cat 6a Cable – An Engineer Shares Some Advice
I've recently worked on installing cat 6a cable, but was reminded how it differs from cat 5e. Some folks may rush into installing cat 6a cable, thinking “cable is just cable”. However, even after some experience installing it, I find it a challenge. It has to be done...
