If you find yourself without an NTE5 style Master BT Line Box, and thus denied the ability to use the handy BT ADSL adaptor faceplates instead of microfilters, here's how to go about fitting your own NTE5 - Legally - to distribute your extensions to suit your plans.

Right, so you want to add your own NTE5 line box from which to serve all your phone services in your home or office, maybe even to let you use an ADSL adaptor faceplate. Legally you must NOT try to be a smart ass and replace your non-NTE5 BT Master socket with your own. See below for the reasons why.

All you do to circumvent this situation is make your own NTE5 the very first "extension" off the true Master box, and serve ALL other telephone points from there. You're therefore establishing your own master distribution point, while maintaining the BT master socket's placement.

So, here's an illustration of a self-fitted NTE5 box scenario;


This piccie should be wholly self-explanatory. To be honest, if it's not then it's probably not for you, perhaps a paid installation by BT is a better choice. I don't mean to be patronising, but that's about the size of it and there's no polite way to say it.

In summary, the line connection points on the rear of the NTE5 unit are two screw terminals labeled A and B. Connect extension wires 2 & 5 from the Master to these terminals, and you now have a working NTE5 line box to do with as you will. Proceed to deploy the rest of your cabling plans, pretending the NTE5 is really your real master box. (Reminder: Don't forget the real master box won't be filtered if you're fitting an NTE5 and an ADSL adaptor together - only connections made TO the ADSL adaptor are filtered.)

Here's a small point raised by an observant punter recently;
An existing extension cable running from a non-NTE5 master might well also be BT property and thus technically you shouldn't be fiddling with that either. In the real world a visiting BT engineer is likely to flip if you've replaced your BT master socket illegally, and quite rightly so - but probably not be bothered with the extension cabling and what you do there. Technically then, if you're not sure about the ownership of an existing hardwired extension, and want to strictly adhere to the Book, you should add your own NTE5 to an extension cable that's plugged in to the real master. The choice, as always, is yours.

A possible side benefit for you;
NOW, notice also that other permutations are opened up for the more advanced users among you. For example, extension wires supplied from the true BT Master are still UNFILTERED under all scenarios. Meaning they still carry the full ADSL signal. So if you happen to deploy the NTE5 ADSL adaptor in order to FILTER all your telephone extensions in one go, you could still feasibly supply ADSL-specific extension sockets from the true master. Just a suggestion.


IMPORTANT - *Replacing* your old-style BT master linebox with an NTE5 of your own:

DON'T EVER, AND THAT'S THAT.
The only people on the planet who are allowed to change your BT Master box are BT engineers. It's ILLEGAL to change it yourself. You face suspension/termination of BT service and/or a stiff fine if you do so. The Master line box is the "demarkation" point between Your Equipment and BT's Exchange Line, so everything on your side is your problem, everything on BT's side, including the Master box itself, is BT's problem. It needs to stay that way.

You mustn't just buy an NTE5 linebox from us and swap it with your old style master. You see, ONLY genuine BT master units have the embossed BT logo, and ONLY BT engineers possess the genuine articles. Once again for super clarity; ONLY BT-installed NTE5's have the little BT "Piper" in relief on the top left of the face. NOBODY ANYWHERE sells those legally, they're only EVER fitted by BT engineers.

There's actually a replacement master line box with internal microfilter out there (non-uk manufactured and not BT approved - naturally) which somebody's rather irresponsibly advising their customers to replace their BT box with. Oh dear God, NO!

If you're caught with some third paty NTE5 AS YOUR MASTER BOX, it's clear and obvious that you've changed it yourself and you deserve all you get. Don't say you weren't warned.