Help needed re: multiple cables in my new house
 

Hi everyone, hope you’re all having a nice day so far!

I’ve not long moved in to my new house and have started decorating. I could not believe the amount of cables that were all over the place. I wanted to ask on here whether anybody knows what this box is in the attached photo and whether I can remove it...

I’m using plusnet as my internet provider and not having a landline and just freeview smart tv.

Many thanks in advance :)

Re: Help needed re: multiple cables in my new house
 

Also, sorry if this is in the wrong forum... I wasn't quite sure what it is so was not sure which forum would be best.

Re: Help needed re: multiple cables in my new house
 

Well that's a BT logo from the 1980s. I can't see the connectors very clearly, but they look like coaxial ones of some sort - can you post a better picture? I wonder if you are in one of the few areas where BT ran the cable network? (Milton Keynes, Westminster, Washington, Brackla, Harlow and one other that escapes me right now)

ps. Welcome to the forum!

Re: Help needed re: multiple cables in my new house
 

I'd hate to be the one to tell you you could definitely remove something from your wall on the basis of a singe photo that's not even the right way up ;)

However, if it has the 1980s British Telecom logo on it, and no wires coming in or out, I'd be amazed if it's doing anything useful.

Re: Help needed re: multiple cables in my new house
 

Hi, thanks for your replies. Please find attached some closer images. It seems to be coming in from under the floor and then it’s been cut off the other side.

Re: Help needed re: multiple cables in my new house
 

It looks like it has a pair of odd screw heads in the centre to prevent tampering ... doubtless there's an expert on the forum somewhere who can name the type. Chances are you don't have the correct screwdriver or spanner to get them out, although I've found a pair of long-nose pliers is useful in many situations like this.

As spiderplant said the other day, it looks like it was a junction box for coaxial cable, which despite the BT logo suggests it was for TV, rather than telephone. I'd say it is very unlikely the cable that goes under your floor is attached to anything, but if you have your carpets up, there must be a trapdoor somewhere, for someone to have run the cable beneath the floor in the first place. If you're very curious, find that, get under the floor and see where it goes.

Once upon a time it would have found its way outdoors, and then on to a cable under your garden, to the street, and then a nearby cabinet on the pavement. The fact that there is a very old cut off wire on the other end of the box however suggests to me that there is basically no chance you're going to upset anything by removing it. If the cut end of cable was still attached to a TV distribution system it would probably have been causing interference all this time, and I would imagine would have been traced and dealt with.

Re: Help needed re: multiple cables in my new house
 

Ahhh many thanks for getting back to me Chris. I think I’m just going to remove it (somehow!).

Enjoy the remainder of your bank holiday Monday!

Re: Help needed re: multiple cables in my new house
 

Buy something like this, I have one for the just in case scenario.

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Damaged-S...NsaWNrPXRydWU=