Quick question

jonnyH · 10-05-2005, 14:41

I have an NTL box bolted to the wall in my dinning room approx 6"x3" in size from memory, obviously installed my the previous owner.
My question is, if I remove this box and just severe the cable outside the house will it cause me or NTL any grief?

Thing is NTL and I have had a long history of run-ins and I object to having their equipment in my house. Plus I'm having Sky+ installed this week and the existing [ntl] hole through the wall would be ideal for the satelite cable to come through - I'd rather not have yet another hole drilled through my house.

So if I just leave it in my from garden and it goes missing? I'm under no contract with NTL to have their gear on property.

Paul K · 10-05-2005, 14:46

Could be seen as criminal damage as it is NTLs equipment whether you are using it or not. I would give them a ring and ask them what they would rather you do, if they say it's ok to cut the cable and remove it I would ask for it in writing so they can't try billing you for it afterwards

quadplay · 10-05-2005, 14:46

It's possible, yes - especially if the cable is just cut outside the house as water may get into the cable and cause noise on the local network.

MovedGoalPosts · 10-05-2005, 15:17

From the ntl Ts & Cs http://www.home.ntl.com/page/termsresidential

Quote:

25. Assignment

This Agreement is personal to you and therefore it may not be assigned or transferred by you to any other person without our prior written consent. For business reasons we have the right to assign this Agreement at any time to any company or person.

Thus, I would consider, any obligation to ntl for somebody not to tamper was for the previous owner only, and not transferrable to you. It's your property.

The obligation was for the previous owner to notify ntl so they could collect their kit (which is their property). If you cut it off now, simply offer it to them to collect at their cost (give a reasonable period of notice, say 30 days, after which you will destroy it.

Quote:

Part A - Telecommunications Wayleave Agreement

For the purpose of this Wayleave Agreement we hold an ntl Authorisation for your area.

This Wayleave Agreement enables the necessary apparatus to be installed within your property (including the garden) to supply the Services you or others have asked for.

We must comply with the Electronic Communications Code (as referred to below) in carrying out work and we cannot normally be required to remove permanent installations if you terminate this Agreement or move from your property.

If you have any questions or complaints you should contact our customer management centre.

By entering into this Agreement:

you authorise us to install and keep installed our apparatus on your property and allow us, our employees, agents or contractors to enter your property to inspect, maintain, adjust, repair, alter, replace or remove the apparatus;
we agree to cause as little damage as possible when exercising the rights under this Wayleave Agreement and will make good to your reasonable satisfaction any damage caused by us, our employees, agents or contractors;
you agree that whilst you occupy or own the property you will not use the property in such a way as to make access to the apparatus difficult or build structures or plant trees over the apparatus if they are likely to interfere with the apparatus; and
the provisions of the Electronic Communications Code as set out in Schedule 2 to the Communications Act 2003 will apply to this Wayleave Agreement.

This would apply to the previous home owner who had the services, but not I suspect to you, as you are not party to the ntl T&Cs, as 25 above. On that basis if ntl say they don't normaly remove permanent installations, why can't you. Just give them a few days written notice of your intentions then they can take whatever action they do feel necessary to "protect their network".

Oh and BTW

to Cable Forum

jonnyH · 10-05-2005, 15:30

Thank you for all replies, really appreciated!

I'll avoid if at all possible actually cutting the cable or at least creating a short circuit somewhere. Hadn't even thought of the issue of water, so thanks for that!
I have wasted several hours of my life trying to get any info from NTL about this which is why I eventually stumbled across you guys!

Most helpful!

Cheers, Jon

Nemesis · 10-05-2005, 15:36

Quote:

19.5 On termination of this Agreement you shall return all the Equipment to ntl. You may return the Equipment to us either:
(a) by sending or taking the equipment at your cost to the ntl address for Equipment returns (please see www.home.ntl.com/page/equipmentreturns for full details of how to return the Equipment and for the address for returns) within 14 days of the date of termination; or
(b) you may arrange for ntl to collect the Equipment from your premises.

If you do not return the Equipment or allow ntl to collect it we shall be entitled to bill you and you shall be liable to pay for the cost of replacing the Equipment and, unless the termination is due to our breach, you shall continue to be responsible for the payment of Charges until all the Equipment has been returned or its replacement value paid. In addition to all other rights, we reserve the right to bring proceedings against you for the return of our Equipment.

http://www.home.ntl.com/page/equipmentreturns

SMHarman · 10-05-2005, 15:38

Do you have a grey/brown box on the outside wall of your house. If you disconnect the cable at this box rather than 'cut it' things should be better.

You can then tell NTL you have removed their equipment from the internal wall of your house and they have 21 days to tell you what to do with it or you will destroy it.

MovedGoalPosts · 10-05-2005, 17:22

Nemesis quoted part of the ntl T&Cs would apply only to the person who orignially had the ntl service, not any subsequent purchaser of the property, as they would not have been privy to the original contract. Thus whilst the ntl equipment may not be owned by the new homeowner, there would be no obligation on the new homeowner to return it to ntl. Ntl would have to bill the original customer for their costs.

zoombini · 11-05-2005, 01:03

Oh just disconnect it, throw it all away etc & if NTL contact you about it just say it was like that when you moved in.

Seal the end of the cable if you cut it to prevent any water ingress.

jonifen · 11-05-2005, 08:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoombini

Seal the end of the cable if you cut it to prevent any water ingress.

Good idea... could use somethin like glue to cover the end and let it dry or some sort of sealant.

You'll need to fill the hole in your wall too when you've finished...

Acropolis · 13-05-2005, 23:08

The box you mentioned is an isolator, it runs from the main drop cable in the ETB (brown ior grey box on the outside of you house), if you have no services from NTL then it will not affect you in any way shape or form, and provided you disconnect it properly then it should not cuase NTL any problem either.

Simply open the ETB outside, unscrew the connector in there and remove the wiring and the box from the room it is in and problem solved.

Forget all the T&C's people have mentioned, NTL dont know where the isolator was installed and probably couldnt care less anyway to be honest. If you or another occupant ever has cable installed again, the installer will look, see no isolator and fit one, they are not going to start questioning where the previous one is cause they simply couldnt care less.