Location of phone wall sockets

I am moving the telephone wall socket in my study because I'm often checking out some extra phone device and need better access than a single socket at floor level. A simple extension lead may not work too well because they don't usually have twisted pair wiring, so I'm told they can pick up interference and I have enough interference on the line anyway.
I need some advice on positioning the sockets.
I was going to put in a double socket (two double sockets actually) about 10-12 inches above the level of my desk. Any devices I am looking at would be able to rest on the desk.
The master socket is in another room so these are all extensions sockets wired in parallel.
I chose a height of 10-12 inches above the desk because if the socket was too low then any phone plugs and adaptors which stuck out might jostle with papers, books and desk things.
One problem for the new sockets in this position is that an old style PC monitor (CRT) would be about 2 feet away. I really want to avoid creating line noise so do I need increase this distance?
On the other side of the sockets are flourescent light fittings. Some are compact flourescent bulbs and there is a 20 inch long strip bulb too.
Any thoughts on positioning. Sensible ones please (the ceiling isn't going to work!)

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You should not pick up any noise from the monitor unless the phone line is wrapped around it - you are more likely to pick up line buzz in the phone itself.
Unless your fluorescents have dimmers (and so work at high frequency) again you are unlikely to get interference.
....but there's only one way to find out.

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You want at least 18" above the floor, so as not to bend down uncomfortably, and for esthetic reasons, usually NOT at eye level (like a foot above your desk would be). My preference is to put my sockets (power, mainly) just under the desktop (bolted underneath, in the knee space, actually).
I'd advise (before making holes in the wall) using a simple phone extension cord, and velcro-ing the business end in various places. Pick the best spot after trying it for a while.
For me, 1 foot above my desk is just ASKING to be blocked by some important desktop item or other.

wrote: | > I am moving the telephone wall socket in my study because I'm | > often checking out some extra phone device | | > I was going to put in a double socket... | > I chose a height of 10-12 inches above the desk because if the | > socket was too low then any phone plugs and adaptors which stuck | > out might jostle with papers, books and desk things. | | You want at least 18" above the floor, so as not to bend down | uncomfortably, and for esthetic reasons, usually NOT at eye level | (like a foot above your desk would be). My preference is to put | my sockets (power, mainly) just under the desktop (bolted | underneath, in the knee space, actually). | | I'd advise (before making holes in the wall) using a simple phone | extension cord, and velcro-ing the business end in various places. | Pick the best spot after trying it for a while. | | For me, 1 foot above my desk is just ASKING to be blocked by some | important desktop item or other.
Left all mine about 6" above the skirting board & then just put the funiture in. Let's face it just how often do you have to unplug & plug telephone equipment. Leaving them there they are accessible on the odd occasion when I need to change something & yet completely out of the way of what goes on on the desk top. I've also been placing the surge protectors on the back boards so they don't get caught up in the mix.
I'm sure cables have parties when I'm not around, I lay the cables out nice & neat & yet 3 days later they've almost platted themselves into one heaving mess ;-)

wrote:
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I'd make them the same height as any other outlets in the room. Anything different will stand out. I also fasten power strips and all other wiring to the bottom of the desk. I use solid core doors as desktops, so the bottom is a good place to mount things.
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I don't see the need to have telephone jacks all that accessible. Do you really move phones that often?
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Indeed. I think it makes the walls look junky too.

whit3rd wrote:
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On new builds, power and telecoms sockets have to be about 1.5m above the floor.

message | whit3rd wrote: | > | > You want at least 18" above the floor, so as not to bend down | > uncomfortably, and for esthetic reasons, usually NOT at eye level | | On new builds, power and telecoms sockets have to be about 1.5m | above the floor.
Are they now...don't tell the builders in the East Midlands as they may get very upset seeing as they are still placing them inbetween 6 to 9 inches from the floor. The only places they're not are in specified sheltered housing projects..

On Sat 04-Apr-2009 22:49, David Woolley
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I'm in the UK. Your posting server is in the UK so I guess you probably are there too
Can I clarify your info. Do you mean all new buildings in the UK must have their power and telecomms as you have described?
What if a customer/owner wanted to have a new building with lower sockets? Surely he could have the builders put them in lower or would he need to get the ok from some authority?

wrote: | | > whit3rd wrote: | >> | >> You want at least 18" above the floor, so as not to bend down | >> uncomfortably, and for esthetic reasons, usually NOT at eye | >> level | > | > On new builds, power and telecoms sockets have to be about | > 1.5m above the floor. | | | I'm in the UK. Your posting server is in the UK so I guess you | probably are there too | | Can I clarify your info. Do you mean all new buildings in the UK | must have their power and telecomms as you have described? | | What if a customer/owner wanted to have a new building with lower | sockets? Surely he could have the builders put them in lower or | would he need to get the ok from some authority?
Don't worry they're not put 18" up the wall except for special circumstances, sheltered housing for the elderly & infirm for instance, so that they don't have to band down so far. Normal housing is around 6" or so of the skirting board...

wrote:
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Thanks for the info.
From what you say, David W probably meant 1.5ft not 1.5m.

Kráftéé wrote:
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I'll have to have another look at that building regulation (I'm not in a situation where it has to be applied in anger). However, I thought that the public policy was that all building should be "built for life", i.e. all residential buildings should be built on the assumption that their owners will stay in them when elderly, which does happen quite a lot.
I can certainly find references to some "Building for Life" rules being in the Building Regs, and it looks like work done for many councils would need to comply.
The Part M guidance document is too big for me to be sure of its scope on a quick scan, but I overstated the required heights. Telephone sockets should be at 400 to 1000mm above floor level, with the lower end of the range preferred.
There are a lot of exemptions for rework on existing buildings, although you can't make things worse.
Actually, section 0.1a appears to say it applies to all new build dwellings.

On Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:06:31 +0100, David Woolley
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Isn't that entirely up to the owner? If I do any work in my house, is it any concern of the nann^H^H^H^Hgovernment, whether or not I become elderly? Are all old people incapable of reaching up or down?
If I decide to put a telephone socket (or Block Terminal) grazing the floor (or the ceiling), that's no business of anybody else.

Frank Erskine wrote:
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On my quick reading, the owner has no choice on a new build. When upgrading an existing property, they mustn't make things worse, so they can't move a socket outside the specified height range, but they don't need to move existing ones into it.
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Block terminsls aren't an issue, as end users aren't supposed to touch them. For other things, it is the same as other building regulations, you are restricted in what you can do for the general good, e.g. you might like a gas guzzling boiler, but the general good is to reduce CO2 buildup, and fossil fuel attrition, so you are forced to introduce a condensing boiler when replacing a boiler. Part M is much more permissive, in that it doesn't require upgrades on maintenance.
Regulations tend to come into existence when people fail to behave responsibly on their own. I do have some concerns about over regulating with respect to requiring approved persons, which isn't an issue, for this case. The approved persons rules tend to actually prevent desirable changes by pushing up the cost and/or bureaucracy, and they prevent people gaining skills, and probably contribute to the low status of science and technology in the UK.
On the other hand, they may be needed for professional builders; I think the kitchen rules in part P were actually targetted at "professional" installers, even though they hit DIYers.
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Think it applies to a new build - in the same way as minimum ceiling heights etc do.

Kráftéé wrote:
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-I'll have to have another look at that building regulation (I'm not in a -situation where it has to be applied in anger). However, I thought that -the public policy was that all building should be "built for life", i.e. -all residential buildings should be built on the assumption that their -owners will stay in them when elderly, which does happen quite a lot.
-I can certainly find references to some "Building for Life" rules being -in the Building Regs, and it looks like work done for many councils -would need to comply.
-The Part M guidance document is too big for me to be sure of its scope -on a quick scan, but I overstated the required heights. Telephone -sockets should be at 400 to 1000mm above floor level, with the lower end -of the range preferred.
Yes, certainly for power sockets it's a rule of thumb of 450mm above sub-floor on all new build (including extensions). No-one wants it higher and it's above the min 400 so always within regs. Old buildings you can get away with.

wrote:
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I had the same argument break out in our office Lap top users wanted the outlets above the desk, interior decorators wanted them behind the desk. It really depends on how often you need to unplug it.

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Thanks for some very useful points. I like the idea of 18 inches (or whatever) above floor level. David W referred to new builds having sockets as much as 1.5 metres above floor level although that seems a bit too much.
The room this is for is a study and it's not one of those minimalist cool designer rooms nor is it some swanky upmarket wood- panelled chamber. It is meant to be functional - although hopefully without going so far as to look like a disused warehouse.
I had chosen 10-12 inches above the desktop for the sockets to try and get them out of the way. I won't go into the exact room layout other than to say the desktop runs for about 8 foot and the phone devices would be in the middle. Going under the desktop to access the phone sockets is awkward because of the way the supports are arranged and items stored under the desk. Even then I would still have to run each "experimental" line cord onto the desktop (IYSWIM).
I take your point that 10-12 inches above the desk may still get in the way. I can't really place the sockets any higher without having strange looking long line cords dangling down from them.
One alternative may be to mount the sockets on the top surface of the desktop near the wall. Sure, I lose some desk space for the socket and also for the trailing cords but it protects any plugs
Another alternative is to mount the sockets on the wall a few inches above the desktop and take the risk that I can always give that immediate area enough space to prevent anything banging into adaptors, connectors, plugs or whatever I have got plugged in the wall socket.
I like the idea of velcro for positioning. (You've done this before, haven't you!) All the sockets were placed by the telco engineers in lightning visits, so I had overlooked the very notion of experimenting with their position. I'll still screw mount the sockets as Velcro would pull away paintwork and repairing that before repainting is not really much different to filling small holes.
If you or anyone else have any other thoughts then please let know,

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Use a dado rail positioned on the wall above the desktop - about 12 inches. Use it for 240v sockets, telephone sockets, Aerial sockets etc. Various sockets can be added/removed as required

| I had chosen 10-12 inches above the desktop for the sockets to try | and get them out of the way.
???? If you really want them out of the way you want them below the desktop/work surface.
Cables coming up to your phone, router etc? You just route the cables thru one of the ports you will have to make for routing all the other cables. Simplicity in itself. That is why all commercial office furniture have ports already on them & most office furniture suppliers will cut extra if you require more.

| || I had chosen 10-12 inches above the desktop for the sockets to try || and get them out of the way. | | ???? If you really want them out of the way you want them below the | desktop/work surface. | | Cables coming up to your phone, router etc? You just route the | cables thru one of the ports you will have to make for routing all | the other cables. Simplicity in itself. That is why all commercial | office furniture have ports already on them & most office furniture | suppliers will cut extra if you require more.
PS
Sorry I forgot but if you really truly want them out the way then it's sunken boxes in the floor for both your mains & telephones. Don't believe me....go & take a look around any newer office blocks which have been designed for maximum potential & manuverability and they are firmly placed under foot.