What on earth is this for?

[synaesthesia]

BT Access SDH Router.

 

BT Access SDH NTE 4U/7A Router Rack Mounting Business | eBay

 

Think I've seen one of these just about everywhere. Barely anything connected - just power, and an orange fibre cable which goes to a junction box on the wall (large one, roughly 10" long, 6" high and 2" deep). Going into that junction box is what looks like more fibre cable but looks a bit more like barely opaque plastic tubing.

 

Next to nothing going in or out, I know it's a router - but for what? Why are these still sitting in schools? In 2 cases at least I'd like to claim some rackspace back and save the power it's using for

 

Unless it's something important, but I can't think what.

[SYNACK]

NTE - I think that means Network Termination Equipment and was probably used with ISDN PRI lines (T1) or maybe even BRI 128k dual channel ISDN.

[tmcd35]

I cant see the picture, ebay blocked, but I'd hazard a guess that the school has a leased line internet connection. Many of our feeder schools have them. It connects back to a local hub point (usually a public library) and from their back to county hall who are our ISP, so that's where it joins the great internet backbone and the rest of the world.

 

Would surprise me if Northamptonshire have a similar arrangement to us in the Norfolk sticks.

[synaesthesia]

Unfortunately not at all - this is a primary, there certainly isn't any leased line equipment here. I'm inclined to think it might harking back to the old ISDN days. It's certainly a lot older looking than the leased line kit in our school (21CN stuff) which is far more clearly marked.

 

 

BT ASDH NTE 4U/7A Termination Unit - Recycled Stuff

 

The school has had DSL based connectivity for many years and continues to do so - it was LA funded (EMBC) and is now private.

[tekins]

almost certainly an old isdn box, turn it off - I bet nothing happens (although if it does, it's your fault!)

[synaesthesia]

I'll hand responsibility to you as my boss! (He told me to do it!)

[tmcd35]

Looks newer than some of the boxes I've seen out a primaries. Still think it has something to do with this: X.25 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

If they are on DSL then it's almost certainly redundant now.

[synaesthesia]

It's out and sitting on the "Rubbish" pile. The media converters in the cabinet can now breath - they get hotter than a boy racer's exhaust.

[glennda]

Looks like a ISDN device which was sent over Fibre - possible old DASS service (bt's attempt at ISDN 30E)

[GrumbleDook]

Remember that the NTEs are the property of BT / Telco and should be disposed of under WEEE. If left behind after the recent EMBC upgrades then let me know and I will have words to arrange collection, but if from prior to the existing contract you had best contact BT to see if they want it.

[twin--turbo]

It's a Leased Line Network Termination Box.

 

Will almost certainly have been for ISDN30 or perhaps a 2MB leased line.

 

Rob

[synaesthesia]

Aye, it's not being moved out of the "server room" until I've cleared with BT beforehand. Will drop them a line tomorrow when I've time to breath

[twin--turbo]

They won't give two hoooooots.. It's not a model they use anymore

 

Got 2 20CN Fibre NTE's on my desk that they said they would collect 10 months ago, and the units had been out of service for 12 months prior to that...

[januttall]

Contact your County Council's IT services and ask them most schools have a leased line from the county for the NGFL system, internet ect. in which case the junction box might be essential we have a beige box one with a thick orange cable going in and two thin fibers coming out. it is a junction between the main fiber and the schools infrastructure.

[GrumbleDook]

Contact your County Council's IT services and ask them most schools have a leased line from the county for the NGFL system, internet ect. in which case the junction box might be essential we have a beige box one with a thick orange cable going in and two thin fibers coming out. it is a junction between the main fiber and the schools infrastructure.

 

Within Northants the connectivity equipment is the responsibility of the ISP (mainly embc) or the providing TELCO. Northants CC IT Services (now part of LGSS) have *nothing* in schools ... and all parties are pretty happy to keep it that way.

[Geoff]

BT used to use these rebranded Fujitsu boxes for leased lines. It is basically an SDSL modem connected to an E1. Totally useless now.