Running new external bt line?

[cairns]

Hi there,

How hard is it to run a new external BT line from the post to my house, as the existing one has been damaged. Looks pretty simply connecting it to my house, just dont know what to expect when i get to the top of the BT Post, is it pretty straight forward?

Cheers,

John

 

[Thanatosgratus]

That part of the line belongs to BT best to ask them to replace it

 

[accordfire]

Hi there,

How hard is it to run a new external BT line from the post to my house, as the existing one has been damaged. Looks pretty simply connecting it to my house, just dont know what to expect when i get to the top of the BT Post, is it pretty straight forward?

Cheers,

John

You'd find yourself having broken the law if you were seen at the top of a BT pole - it's trespass, at the least, and criminal damage at worst.

BT retain sole responsibility for any connection to the swing and block at the top of a pole, and ownership/responsibility for all wiring up to the master socket in your house.

If the fault is on their cable - it's down to them to fix it, and cost falls on them too - you contact them through whomever provides your telephone service, in the same way as any other fault.

 

[cairns]

Yeah thats not really what I'm asking, They came round and say the fault is mine as a tree in my garden fell on the line, I refuse to pay £150 for a new line, It looks pretty simple and I'm just gonna replace excatly where the existing line connects to the house, I just want to know what to expect at the top of the pole before I hire a 3 piece ladder.

 

[accordfire]

Well, it's entirely up to you of course, although that's probably where your house insurance should come into play.

I'd be tempted to argue that the tree was present before the line was, and BT have culpability since they ran the line in a way which rendered it liable to damage.

I really can't condone breaking the law though - and that's why my advice is not to expect anything at the top of the pole, not to hire a ladder, and basically, not to go up the pole.

Sorry.

 

[ian]

I agree accordfire, you should not be installing cabling from the pole, the pole is not your property even if its on your land. Something similar happened to my parents around 5 years ago when my dad in a moment of madness decided to fell a tree and took the BT line along with it. (not the sharpest tool in the box) anyway he argued with BT and they repaired it for free. May be worth trying that. Failing you will need to get your cheque book out.

Ian

 

[eskimo39]

I think the point people are making is that by even going to the top of the pole you are breaking the law. Also be very careful as if you did go up there and fix your wire, there is nothing then to stop them blaming you for any other faults that may occur on other lines. Because they now know that you have a broken line and it shouldn't be repaired by anyone other than themselves there is no way of disguising the fact you would have done the work.

£150 is very steep as to my knowledge it seems to only be 2 wires but as you know being in a specialist trade does usually come with higher costs. I would definitely try the suggestion by accordfire and say the tree has always been present and they have put the wire in harms way. Also if you live in a cable area you could always just threaten to cancel your account with BT and go with one of their competitors. Also try not to discuss this with the customer service team as they have no benefit in keeping you with BT, however try to go to their cancellation/retention team who's job it is to keep customers.

 

[ukpablo]

u will find urself in a big world of poo matey.................bt are worse than the DNO when it comes to court and prosecutions. They can ping the cable from the hub remotely, and already know that u have a problem, so if all of a sudden it flags as fixed with no job no they will investigate!
u are some what over a barrel my friend.................pay up, or buy a dongle for the pc!