The best telephone sockets, compared.
Top pick: DRUT white secondary faceplate Best value: BG white secondary, screw – About £3.89, BS 6312-2, screw terminals, and 4.4 from 185 reviews are the strongest price against a stated extra-point job. Updated October 2026.
A telephone socket on a UK wall is a BS 6312 outlet for a rectangular BT plug, or the master faceplate that presents that outlet. You are usually adding a point, replacing a yellowed plate, or matching a metal switch range. A master carries the ring circuit and feeds other sockets. A secondary is only an extra point, and it will not stand in as the only socket on the lead-in. The [master or secondary guide](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/telephone-socket/sub/telephone-socket-master-or-secondary) sets that fork before finish or price. Wants unstripped solid copper, cam locks need no punch-down tool, and screw terminals suit a plug-wiring habit. A surface 2/3A of about 68 mm will not cover an. Openreach's traditional lines are due to be digital, and on full fibre the optical network terminal replaces the copper master. A new analogue socket is the wrong buy when the phone already plugs into the router. A master sits where the line enters and feeds extensions.
A telephone socket on a UK wall is a BS 6312 outlet for a rectangular BT plug, or the master faceplate that presents that outlet.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you fitting?
The DRUT DR-TUO9 is a white secondary BT faceplate at £11.20, listed at 70 g, with 5.0 from three amazon.co.uk reviews and no review texts on the listing. A bullet claims fixing screws, instructions, and standard UK telephone plugs. Terminal type, plate size, a BS number, and a phone cable are not stated. The page asks whether it can go outdoors and does not answer, and there is no IP rating. At £11.20 it costs more than the BG white secondary at £3.89, which does state screw terminals and BS 6312-2. The 5.0 line is too thin to treat as a quality verdict. It is only a faceplate if you already know the terminals match your cable. Skip it when you need a stated size, a back box, or a review you can read.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A secondary faceplate only if you already know the terminals match the cable in the wall.
Less suitable: A first extra point when you need a stated size, screw or IDC, or a review you can read.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a phone cable in the box?
The page asks and does not answer. No cable is listed. A bullet claims fixing screws and instructions.
Can it go outdoors?
The page asks and does not answer. There is no IP rating.
Screw or IDC?
Not stated. Installation type says screw-in, which in the listing refers to fixing the plate.
The BG NABBTM1-01 is an antique brass screw master at £11.72, 8.6 cm square, with a stated 25-year warranty and a moisture gasket claimed for the metal edges, including new plaster. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.8 from 10 reviews, and the listing has no review texts. The telephone bullets say master, screw terminals, and BS EN 6312-2. A separate attribute block prints 13 A, 240 V, Wi-Fi and 3,120 W, which belongs to a switch and is not this socket. No IP rating is stated, so the gasket is a tarnish claim rather than an outdoor rating. Fixing screws are named and a back box is not. Buy it to match an antique brass range on a line that still enters here. Skip it if you read the 13 A line as the product.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An antique brass master where the line enters and the switches already match.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs review texts, an outdoor rating, or a plate without a conflicting mains block.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it a 13 A socket?
The title and the telephone bullets describe a master telephone socket with screw terminals. A separate attribute block prints 13 A, 240 V and Wi-Fi. Those lines are not the telephone-socket spec.
Will the brass finish cope with new plaster?
A bullet says an integrated moisture gasket protects the metal edges from tarnish, including when new plaster is used. No IP rating is stated.
Are there review texts?
The page shows 4.8 from 10 reviews. The listing has no review texts.
The DRUT listing is a white NTE5a master with IDC at £14.20, the dearest plate in this set, with 4.8 from eight amazon.co.uk reviews and three short texts. Those texts say it was easy to install and replaced a yellowed socket, and one buyer called the price high for a like-for-like swap. A bullet claims an included back box and a VDSL/ADSL faceplate. There is no included-components line and no MK4 part number, so both claims stay bullets. An attribute says wireless, which conflicts with a wired master. No wiring fault appears in the three texts. Buy it only if you specifically want an NTE5a IDC form and you will check the photographs for the back box. Skip it if the more reviewed NTE5c faceplate at £9.95 already matches the box on the wall.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An NTE5a IDC master if you confirm the back box in the listing photos before you rely on the bullet.
Less suitable: An NTE5c box already on the wall, or a proven filtered plate at a lower price.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the back box actually listed?
A bullet says the included back box. There is no included-components line, so it stays a bullet claim.
Is it a filtered VDSL plate?
The first bullet says a VDSL/ADSL faceplate. There is no MK4 part number and no standards line.
What do the reviews say?
Three texts: easy to install, replaced a yellowed socket, and one buyer said the price was high. No wiring fault is described.
The 1STec NTE5c MK2 is a master faceplate only at £9.95, with 4.6 from 325 amazon.co.uk reviews, the longest review line in this set. Of 35 texts, most say it fits an existing box and that the cam-lock tabs are easier than old punch-down fittings. It claims tool-less IDC for unstripped solid-core cable, including CW1308, a clip-off lower panel, and a test socket. A bullet says it accepts a separate MK4 filtered plate, and the pack is not that plate. One reviewer expected a built-in splitter with an RJ11 output and did not get one. Complaints include screws that were too short, a plate that would not click and was taped, and one unit that did not work. The title says genuine BT Openreach, which the listing does not authenticate. It is the top pick when you are replacing the customer-side front of an existing NTE box and you will reuse the original screws if the new ones are short.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Replacing the customer-side front of an existing NTE5A or NTE5c box.
Less suitable: A bedroom extension, a back box in the pack, or a filtered MK4 in the same order.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the back box in the pack?
The title says faceplate only. A bullet says it retrofits an existing NTE5A back box with the original screws.
Does it include a broadband filter?
No. A bullet says it can take a separate MK4 filtered plate. One reviewer expected a built-in splitter with an RJ11 output and did not get one.
What do fitters report?
Most of the 35 texts say it fits and works. Complaints include screws that were too short, a plate that would not click home, and one unit that did not work.
The BG NBNBTM1-01 is a black nickel single master at £5.99, listed at 8.6 × 2.4 × 8.6 cm, with 4.5 from 100 amazon.co.uk reviews. Five texts praise the finish against white plastic, and one buyer bought several as replacements. The listing does not state screw or IDC, a BS number, a warranty, or whether a back box is included. One reviewer called the instructions useless for a master swap and said the BG helpline did not call back. That is one account, not a run of dead plates in these five texts. It suits a finish match if you can already see how the old master is wired. Leave it if you need the terminal type printed before you order.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A black nickel master to match existing plates, if you already know the terminals.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a stated screw or IDC line, or a back box in the pack.
Specifications
Common questions
Screw terminals or IDC?
The listing does not say. The title is a single master telephone socket in black nickel.
Does the pack include a back box?
There is no included-components line and no box-depth bullet, so the listing does not say whether a back box is included
What did reviewers complain about?
Five texts are on the listing. One says the instructions were useless for a master swap and the BG helpline did not call back. The others praise the finish.
The 1STec 2/3A is a surface secondary at £8.95 that includes the socket, a back box, and an IDC tool, with 4.5 from 72 amazon.co.uk reviews. The listing puts it at about 68 × 68 × 29 mm including the box, and several of the 13 texts say it is smaller than a traditional socket. One buyer found that smaller size useful, while another says the screws kept spinning and would not tighten. The bullet asks for solid-core CW1308, unstripped, and it names terminals 2, 3 and 5, with connector 3 not needed for broadband. An attribute says RJ-11/RJ-12 while the title describes a BT-style extra point. It will not cover an 85 mm NTE. Use it for a new surface point when a master is already there and you do not own an IDC tool. Skip it if you are covering an existing full-size plate.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A new surface extension when a master exists and you want the IDC tool and box together.
Less suitable: Covering an 85 mm NTE or matching a row of 86 mm plates.
Specifications
Common questions
Will it cover a full-size master?
The listing says about 68 x 68 x 29 mm including the back box. Reviews say it is smaller than a traditional socket.
Which cable does it want?
The bullet says solid-core CW1308, unstripped, pressed in with the included IDC tool. It also says take terminals 2, 3 and 5 from the master, and that connector 3 is not needed for broadband.
What failed in reviews?
Several buyers flag the small size. One says the screws kept spinning and would not tighten.
The BG 8BTS/1 is a white screw secondary at £3.89, the lowest price in this set, with 4.4 from 185 amazon.co.uk reviews and 19 texts on the listing. Reviewers say it works once fitted and that the screw terminals feel like wiring a plug, with no punch-down tool. Several buyers were surprised it was not IDC, and one review says the screws are minute. The listing claims BS 6312-2 and a 25 mm minimum box, and it must be fed from a master. The connector attribute says RJ45 while the title and the UK reviews describe a BT slave socket. Across these 19 texts there is no repeated report of a dead socket. It is the best value when you already have a master and a box and you want screw terminals. Leave it if this would be the only socket on the lead-in.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An extra 86 mm point on a line that already has a master, if you want screw terminals.
Less suitable: The only socket on the lead-in, or a punch-down NTE replacement.
Specifications
Common questions
Can this be the only socket on the line?
The listing says use it with a master, as an additional point fed from that master.
Do I need a punch-down tool?
No. Bullets and reviews say screw terminals. Several buyers expected IDC and were surprised.
Why does the page say RJ45?
The connector attribute says RJ45 and the connectivity line says BT. The title and the UK reviews describe a BT telephone slave socket.
The BG 8BTM/1 is an 86 mm white master with screw terminals, listed at £5.99, for the point where the line enters before you feed secondary sockets. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.1 from six reviews, and the listing has no review texts, so there is no repeated fault or praise to quote. The listing claims BS 6312-2, fixing screws, a 25 mm minimum box, and a 30-year warranty, while the included-components line names the socket only. It weighs 63 g. You still need a back box, and a BG trade sheet prints 35 mm where the amazon bullet says 25 mm, so follow the listing you buy. Skip it if you wanted IDC, a metal finish, or an NTE5 faceplate for an Openreach box.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A white screw master where the line already enters on a single-gang box.
Less suitable: An IDC termination, a metal finish, or a replacement Openreach NTE front.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the socket where the line enters?
The listing says use it where the telephone line enters, then feed secondary sockets from it. It is a master, screw type.
Is a back box included?
Included components say socket. A bullet says fixing screws and a minimum mounting box depth of 25 mm.
What do buyers say went wrong?
The page shows 4.1 from 6 reviews. The listing has no review texts, so no repeated fault is recorded.
For this comparison we scored eight amazon.co.uk telephone-socket listings on 16 October 2026. The scores use star ratings and review counts, how clearly the listing states the role and terminals, the GBP price against what the pack claims, and whether the reviews and attributes agree. They are editorial scores, not a laboratory test and not a broadband-speed ranking.
Amazon rating and review evidence
35%Both the star average and the number of ratings matter. A 5.0 from three ratings, with no review text on the listing, cannot score like 4.6 from 325 ratings.
Suitability and specification clarity
30%Credit for a stated role, a stated terminal type, a box claim you can check, a size, and a BS 6312 line where the listing prints one.
Value
20%The GBP shelf price is judged against what the pack actually states, not against the lowest price alone.
Review sentiment and listing consistency
15%Repeated fit or expectation complaints reduce the score. Conflicting attributes, such as RJ45 on a BT title or 13 A and Wi-Fi on a telephone master, reduce it as well.
Start with the job, not the finish. If the line still enters through a master, a secondary adds a point and a master plate replaces the one that is already there. If you are only changing the customer-side front of an Openreach NTE, you want a faceplate, not a surface jack. Screw, IDC, and tool-less cam lock are different terminals, and the cable should be solid-core. Prices in this set run from about £3.89 to about £14.20 on amazon.co.uk.
A telephone socket here is a UK wall outlet for a BS 6312 BT plug, the 431A or 631A pattern, or the master faceplate that presents that outlet. It is not an RJ11 splitter, not a plug-in adapter, and not a 13 A wall plug. Quality starts with the role. A master sits where the line enters and feeds extensions. A secondary is only an extra point in parallel. One master on the line is the historical rule, and a secondary will not stand in as the only socket on the lead-in. Which master matters.
A secondary only adds a point in parallel. It will not stand in as the only socket on the lead-in, and a second master on the same line is the matching mistake. One master is the historical rule.
IDC and NTE5c cam locks want unstripped solid copper. CW1308 is the BT specification sold for that. Stranded alarm cable is the usual failure, and a screw-terminal plate is the one that suits a plug-wiring habit.
None of these plates is a speed upgrade. A 68 mm surface jack will not cover an NTE of about 85 mm. On full fibre the optical network terminal replaces the copper master, so a new analogue socket can be the wrong buy entirely.
Role is the first cut, and it is worth more than the finish. A master is the plate where the line enters and from which other sockets are fed. A secondary is every extra point, wired in parallel. One master on the line is the historical rule. Fitting a secondary where the lead-in arrives, or adding a second master, is the mistake that leaves you with a socket that cannot do the job. A decorative single-gang master is not the same object as an Openreach NTE5.
Terminals, cable, and the box decide whether the plate you ordered can actually be fitted. IDC needs unstripped solid copper. An NTE5c MK2 cam lock is the tool-less version of that idea. Screw terminals suit someone who wires a plug, and they are a poor surprise if you bought the plate expecting a punch-down. The cable should be solid-core twisted pair. CW1308 is the BT specification sold for telephone wiring. Stranded alarm cable is the usual IDC failure.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are adding a bedroom phone on a line that still has a master, and you would rather screw three wires than punch them down. The BG white secondary states that job, BS 6312-2, and an 86 mm plate. It still needs the master and a box.
A master is already there, and you want the back box and an IDC tool in the same pack. The 1STec 2/3A surface kit names solid-core CW1308. It is about 68 mm, so it will not cover an NTE or an 86 mm plate.
You are replacing a cracked or yellowed customer-side front without moving the incoming pair. The 1STec NTE5c MK2 is the faceplate-only top pick, with tool-less IDC. It is the wrong buy if the phone already plugs into the router on full fibre.
The top pick is the 1STec NTE5c MK2 faceplate: 4.6 from 325 reviews, tool-less IDC, and a clear faceplate-only job outweigh the short-screw and click complaints. The best value is the BG white secondary at about £3.89, with BS 6312-2, screw terminals, and 4.4 from 185 reviews, provided a master is already on the line. A secondary will not replace the socket where the line enters. On full fibre, a new analogue plate is the wrong buy when the phone already plugs into the router.
BG white secondary, screw
About £3.89, BS 6312-2, screw terminals, and 4.4 from 185 reviews are the strongest price against a stated extra-point job.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources on the master socket, BS 6312, and the digital landline switch. Listings checked 16 October 2026. Prices on amazon.co.uk move.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Scores compare published listings and review texts. They are not a laboratory test.
