External BT wiring - junction box to master sockets

[londonsburning]

This is a question for someone who understands BT wiring.

My property used to be in single ownership. There were two landlines controlled by the owner, one upstairs and the other in the basement. Both were working yesterday. Then I made a fatal error...

The lines comprise two newish white cables which are wired into a tall thin black BT box (say 30 x 15 x 10) of 80s vintage, screwed at head height on a skirting wall. It looks like the one at this link:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-18A-E...793?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c26a46b01
It's simple to open, the lid just slides upwards and off.

Inside the box the cables are wired as follows:

for my landline, only the blue pair are wired, into the top two terminals on the right.

for my neighbour's line, only the orange pair are wired, into the next two terminals on the right.

And on the left in the top two terminals WAS an old scruffy wire which didn't seem to do anything. So I loosened the terminals and removed the whole thing. Now neither my or my neighbour's lines work! Humiliation!

Is it the case that some kind of star arrangement was in common use in the 80s, where two different landlines would use certain wires from the same cable from a wall junction box?

And what must I do to wire the two phones so that they work again???

Go gently with me....

 

[lee2009]

sounds like it was bodged from the start, you should not of been able to disconect your neighbours line, from inside your property, each property should have its own line.

it be inclined to get bt out to sort out this sorry mess, id be going mental if my phone line could be disconected from inside my neighbours property, not to mention the possible hijack of phone lines (you using his to rack up bills etc) of for you to listen in to his phone calls and vice versa, which would be a dodle to do with his phone line in your property - not saying you would do any of this, just an example.

i take it the single occupancy is now 2 seerate residences with different house/flat numbers?

you have also techinaclly interfered with anothers phone line if this was the case, not that you did this on purpse of course, id really want bt in to sort this out if my neihbour had cut my phone line off from inside his property.

 

[lee2009]

also people on here may be able to help sort this out, but we are going to need pictures of everything, however not many people will be willing to help if this is on bts side of the wiring / junction boxes, as you are not allowed to work on bts side of the equipment.

 

[AssociatedAlarm]

One house two lines , nothing wrong there.
When split the external box should have been moved.
This will most probably be chargeable. As you have tampered with the BT side of things.

Got a multi meter?
Look for two pairs each with about 50vdc ( most probable 49.8vdc) and put back. Then ring your mobile with yours to make sure the line is yours.

Still not good you "Could" play with the others line, ask BT if they can move it for free once you have fixed it.

 

[lee2009]

id still ring bt, it needs sorting so neighbours line does not run through your property, tell bt its a bodge job, wires everywhere, neigbours line INSIDE your house etc.

bt may for free (cos of the mess, and his line in your house) do the two house for free, afterall its there wireing and they are responsible, not you - so not your responsibility, get your neighbour on board and het him to complain also, about his line beeen to be able to accsed from inside your house.

more i look at this, its bts responsibility, both lines should be at least seperated on a outside box, then the split lines to each door number.

 

[londonsburning]

Thanks to you all.

This is what I did: I lurked in the street and found a parked BT Openreach van. When he came back I told him the story. After he had finished his round he phoned me (mobile of course - - no landline....) and popped back at 6.30pm. He reconnected two wires in the external junction box (by the way this is NOT within my neighbour's property so I hadn't been trespassing or anything). He helped me run a new cable into my flat and set up a brand new master socket. All previous cables, junctions, sockets and connections were dumped in the bin. My phone working. Together we retested my broadband speed and it had increased by 50%. We phoned my neighbour and his broadband speed has improved by 25%. A few notes changed hands. End of story. Happiness all round.....

Big sigh of relief. Large glass of wine.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[bernardgreen]

Some people get all the luck........

 

[AssociatedAlarm]

LOL a result.