topic Re: the Network Interface Device box is the ISP (SKY) provider’s responsibility. in Broadband

the Network Interface Device box is the ISP (SKY) provider’s responsibility.

Jackie7G — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 15:20:50 GMT

The issue lies with the network interface device (NID) box which is the device through which the phone line enters the property and is situated on the upper external wall of the house. The NID is decades old, has fallen apart resulting in the wiring coming into the house being open to the elements and thus intermittently (if for example windy or heavy rainfall) the wiring loosens / disconnects and the signal drops for hours. The NID should have been renewed when SKY became the ISP 15 years ago!, as it is deemed part of the network infrastructure up to the point it enters your house.

I have consulted BT and Openreach and they are categoric that the responsibility for maintaining and renewing the NID box is the ISP (SKY) provider’s responsibility.

There is no way of reporting this within SKY's website which relies upon AI chat-botts who are not programmed to grasp technical terminology. Please may I have a telephone number which is manned by an engineer with appropriate telecommunications technical expertise and is based in the UK and can organise for the replacement NID to be fitted.

Re: the Network Interface Device box is the ISP (SKY) provider’s responsibility.

Mark39 — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 15:25:10 GMT

All calls are routed via customer services. Calls are answered by the next available adviser, wherever they're located..

Re: the Network Interface Device box is the ISP (SKY) provider’s responsibility.

Daniel0210 — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 15:27:28 GMT

@Jackie7G wrote:

Please may I have a telephone number which is manned by an engineer with appropriate telecommunications technical expertise and is based in the UK and can organise for the replacement NID to be fitted.

@Jackie7G

Phone lines are not manned by engineers. They are call centre agents. All calls go through to the next available agent wherever he or she is based.

Re: the Network Interface Device box is the ISP (SKY) provider’s responsibility.

TimmyBGood — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 17:46:11 GMT

@Jackie7G wrote:

I have consulted BT and Openreach and they are categoric that the responsibility for maintaining and renewing the NID box is the ISP (SKY) provider’s responsibility.

Absolutely not. While faults with such equipment are logged through the ISP, it's Openreach as the national network maintainer which fixes them.

Most ISPs have zero field personnel: Sky is unusual in having its legacy of satellite television installers.

Sky also now has a small number of staff carrying out second stage FTTP installations and (I believe) certified by Openreach to do master socket relocation: whether there are any of these working in your area is entirely random, and they didn't exist fifteen (or even five) years ago.

ISSUE: LINE ENTRY VIA THE BOX SITUATED ON THE EXTERNAL UPPER WALL OF MY HOUSE

Jackie7G — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 15:08:01 GMT

Firstly none of the 'board' headings correctly describe the issue for my issue is not listed and ‘other’ is not shown as an option

The ISSUE: LINE ENTRY VIA THE NID BOX SITUATED ON THE EXTERNAL UPPER WALL OF MY HOUSE

I have spoken several times to your customer service teams but they have no understanding of what an NID device is nor its' function and set up regarding the line entry to a property . It is neither a Broadband issue or a Talk issue as such so I will get no joy from spending another 2 days on the phone to no avail. I have tried to express in layman’s language the issue as follows:

The issue is the network interface device (NID) box which is on the upper external wall of my house and is the device through which the phone line enters the property .

The NID is decades old, the plastic casing having so degraded it has fallen apart resulting in the wiring coming into the house being open to the elements and thus intermittently (if for example windy or heavy rainfall) the wiring loosens / disconnects and the signal drops for hours.

There is no way of reporting this within SKY's website which relies upon AI chat-botts who are not programmed to grasp technical terminology. Your customer service team don’t understand what an NID is and nor do your technical team it would appear as after several conversations and hours of trying to be put through to an appropriate expertise the issue is still being misreported by the SKY team. I have consulted BT and Openreach and they inform me that it is ISP (SKY) provider’s responsibility to arrange the OpenReach engineer’s appointment.

I have tracked the order for an engineer's visit and it is telling OpenReach that there may be a fault between the local exchange and your home THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR and anyway Openreach have already checked the poles and exchange. The instructions misleadingly indicate that no access to property is required. THIS IS WRONG FOR ACCESS TO MY PROPERTY IS REQUIRED to scale my wall and replace the NID box.Clearly the SKY team have no understanding regarding what a Network Interface Device Box is, its’ function and where it is situated (but Openreach will have the technical expertise to understand their equipment).

Despite email nummerous exchanges and phone calls to SKY they simply cannot grasp the issue - how can I speak to an actual telephone engineer?

Re: ISSUE: LINE ENTRY VIA THE BOX SITUATED ON THE EXTERNAL UPPER WALL OF MY HOUSE

caesarome — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 16:09:49 GMT

@Jackie7G

Thid is a community where customer help each other so as this is a phone line related issue I have moved your post to the Sky Talk forum where hopefully someone more knowledgeable that me can advise you.

Re: the Network Interface Device box is the ISP (SKY) provider’s responsibility.

Jackie7G — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 16:14:43 GMT

I know this already (having now spent 3 days trying to communicate with Sky) but how does that help me? or answer my question?

Re: the Network Interface Device box is the ISP (SKY) provider’s responsibility.

TimmyBGood — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 17:12:21 GMT

@Jackie7G

There's very little point trying to impart technical detail to script readers: realistically they can only operate within the boundaries of their on-screen menus.

To book a visit there really needs to be a demonstrable fault: alternatively you could ask for a 'master socket relocation' (which would typically be chargeable)

If you've observed the broadband dropping then that's the key information, rather that any particular details about wiring: there might still have to be an external investigation before anyone will admit that a visit is required.