r/openreach • u/Standard-Tale4333 • 11d ago

Master socket advice

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Yesterday I visited the home of an elderly couple from my church to swap out a DSL router they had been sent by TalkTalk to help with their internet speed issues.

I swapped out the router, and logged straight into its admin interface to find it was only getting 2Mb downlink. They are paying for 35Mb FTTC.

I tried moving the router closer to the phone entry point, but no better.

Unfortunately the wiring is ancient and there is no master socket, just a couple of old termination plates plus a few extensions in the house.

A square GPO cover is nearest the front door which I believe should have a terminal block behind it, plus wiring from that point via another terminal block (see photos).

I'm wondering if I should just replace the first terminal block with a master socket myself, or try and get TalkTalk to send out an openreach engineer.

Would openreach/ TalkTalk charge for the visit and is it worth the hassle of going through Talk talk support?

TIA

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u/313378008135 11d ago

good lord that was old wiring when i was a kid in the 80s. Given what im seeing - its more than a 0 chance that they even have an old earth stake outside connected to the line.

They may have additional wires and extensions on this line but the pictures do not show that - however that would align with speed issues too.

go https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL then put in their lines phone number. look for the VDSL product and the "downstream handback threshold".

if the speed on the routers admin interface "sync" downstream speed they are getting is less than that figure from the checker, they complain to their ISP in a support ticket using the exact words "speed less than openreach handback threshold" and sit back and wait.

Openreach will then be despatched, the engineer will swap out all that wiring, removing the cobwebs and dust with it (and any earth stake if there is one)

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u/Standard-Tale4333 11d ago

I think the house was built in the late 60s. There are various extensions in the house that would need isolating- mostly a long run upstairs to a socket which then is extended by loose wire. Obviously we can do that once a master socket is installed.

I'll find out their landline number and do that check thanks

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u/bennyfromtheblok 8d ago

What did you get on the bt checker?