Telephone Cable Question.

mgunnill · Nov 30, 2013

I would be grateful for help on the following regarding a telephone extension.

I need a working telephone socket for Sky Tv and wondered if this is covered by work done here.

I have a telephone socket close to my tv but this is not working. We stopped having Sky ten years ago and have only just noted it is not working. We rearranged our broadband two years ago and what was my extension in my study in now the main broadband/telephone point. The previous point in the hallway is an extension from the study.

The extension in the lounge close to the television is the one not working. This is on an outside wall directly behind the main BT cable into the house. It is still wired into the cable at this point but as I have said, doesn't work.

How do I get this extension to work again?

Am I able to call an electrician to under this work? I have tried to fix this myself but I am concerned about causing damage to my broadband and house telephone cables. Everything works fine, except for this extension in the lounge.

Sorry this is long-winded but I would be grateful for assistance.

I live in Kent near Sittingbourne.

Thank you

Mike

Manator · Nov 30, 2013

Hi Mike, are you on cable by any chance? If so it maybe that your original BT line has been disconnected, which is why it is not working. A quick call to BT should confirm this for you.

In order to change from providers like Virgin Media you will need an active BT line.

ProDave · Nov 30, 2013

It's actually not your problem, as the sky installer is supposed to run a telephone extension as part of the install if one is needed.

If you are only having one sky box, then it will in fact work perfectly well without a telephone connection.

It's only if you have two or more (sky multiroom) that you really need the phone connection, as the boxes do regular callbacks to verify that they are in the same house. Again if that's needed the sky installer should install them.

the only real question then becomes would you rather do it yourself before the sky man gets there to make a neater job of it?

Sharpend · Nov 30, 2013

All this sky and telephone points is a load of old balony, the only reason that YOU would need it is for the interactive services, sky need it more than you to as Dave says keep tabs on you! I have multi room and only the main box is plugged to telephone purely for the ON DEMAND facility.

As it will be your only? Sky box than you have three choices, DIY, call and electrician or wait for sky? The choice is yours!

OnOff · Nov 30, 2013

To the OP. Telephone sockets are in the main very DIY'able. Really is wiring by numbers/colours. The MASTER socket will have a few components on the back - more so than the extension sockets. This might assist:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Telecoms/Telephone%20Wiring.htm

If you need parts then there's a TLC up from you on Medway City Estate btw, as you turn onto the estate off the roundabout turn down the side of the Vauxhall dealers opp McDonalds and TLC is on the left. Basically you need to trace your existing wiring back. Have you had any work done in the last 10 years that might have say CUT the cable? Thinking replacement skirting, doors, stud walls etc. Builders don't generally give a monkeys about piddly telephone cables if they're in the way!

You could at one time btw get BT sockets with screw terminals rather than the type that require an insertion tool. TBH the "proper" ones that require an insertion tool are best.