In recent blogs, I’ve addressed frequently asked questions relating to home phone lines. Here’s the next one – the “cut internal phone line”
I’ve included the cable on the outside of your property, too. This tends to induce more of a panic among users than a dog gnawing a cable to a seldom-used spare bedroom.
Cables Damaged On The Outside of The House.
Usually done when trimming plants or similar. Also, window-fitters seem to think it acceptable to chop cables and not replace them. We don’t mind, as it creates work for us.
The Very Important Official Bit.
Strictly, anything on the “street” side of your master socket belongs to Openreach, so you shouldn’t officially be touching it. However, I understand that some independent engineers do carry out this kind of work. Therefore, anything I write here should be seen as purely hypothetical.
How Would I Get Openreach To Carry Out Repairs?
Answer:- “with difficulty”. You can’t speak to them directly. Your provider (the company who you pay your broadband/phone charges to) needs to mobilise them on your behalf. This may take some time, and could be unsuccessful
First, you have to suffer the typical 45 minute wait to talk to a customer service helpdesk. Next, you have to explain the issue to someone who may not have English as their first language, and relies heavily on scripted responses. Your problem will be truly “off-script”. They may give you a very polite and rambling answer to a problem you don’t have. You may get passed to another department (after holding). You may then get cut off. Read more about how to prepare for and survive this experience here.
How Much Will They Charge?
At least £130.00 to simply visit, Next,an hourly rate of approximately £85.00. (Then parts, £30.00?). You may wait upwards of five days to get an engineer to call.
What Would an Independent Engineer Charge (Hypothetically)?
Possibly around 30 to 50% less. Plus, they might be able to respond quickly.
How Is The Cable Repaired?
Good news! The very same hardware used by Openreach is available on-line.
Search for “Dexgreen BT Openreach Telephone Data Cable Repair Enclosure External Waterproof” or similar, and it should take you to something that looks like this.
They are two halves of a water-resistant “Easter Egg” with a hole at each end. The two halves equipped with multiple high-grade flexible seals, are clip together very firmly, hence making a highly-weatherproof chamber.
The wires themselves will have first be jointed by jelly crimps and tested (of course). See my other blog about the joy of jelly crimping.
Colours?
Possibly in the following pairs:-
Orange and white.
Green and black.
(Typically found in what is known as “dropwire”. I have blogged about this here. Important:- some of the wires in the cable are for support only).
Or…
Blue and orange
Green and brown.
(These are the latest Openreach colours for internal and external cable)
Or (particularly if internal-grade (white-sheathed) cable has been (wrongly) used…
Blue/white – white/blue
Orange/white – white/orange
Much more about colours here.
(I Thought You Were Blogging on “Cut Internal Phone Line”?)
Yes, sorry. It starts around here.
(Finally…) The Inside of The House.
It’s broadly as I’ve described above, except you don’t need to use the waterproof joint.
Take a look at an earlier blog which covers in some depth how to (and how NOT to) joint cables internally. It lists most of the jointing options, with photos.
Outside and Inside – How Do I Know It Has Worked?
You will hear a dial tone when a phone is plugged in. Important! – Your broadband will function (but very slowly) if only one wire of the pair is connected. Don’t ask me how it does, it – it just does! Therefore, you must check for a dial tone, which confirms that both “legs” are connected.
If All This Is Too Much…
Your local independent (probably ex-BT) engineer could do the job for you. They will be well familiar with the “Cut internal Phone Line” . If you are looking for an engineer, please drop me a line, as I network with many across the UK. If you are in the North East, it might be me. Please get in touch!