[SportsFanatic6363]

My current phone jack is clearly visible on a wall above the kitchen counter. I would like to move the location of this phone jack approximately 2 or 3 feet to the left, on the same wall, so that the jack will be hidden behind the refrigerator. Is this a DIY or should I call the phone company to ask them if they would do this for me? If this is something a novice can handle, could you please tell me how to do this? Also, I will need to fix the hole in the wall, above the kitchen counter, where the phone jack was before I moved it. Again, is this a fairly simple task? If so, could you please provide some specific instructions on what I need to do? Thank you.

[retsoksirhc]

How to go about this would depend on how the phone wiring is run. Sounds like you will need ot move the wire over. If it comes up from in the attic, you'll probably have to fish either the same wire, or a new wire down to the new location. Cut out a small hole in the drywall, pull the line through it, attach it to a phone plate, and screw it into the wall with some drywall anchors. If it comes from the basement, and the basement is unfinished, or has a drop ceiling, you can either just drill through the floor right behind the fridge and put one of those small boxes with a jack on the wall, or cut a small hole in the wall and try to drill down, inside the wall, from the hole to the basement, or (and I wouldn't recommend this), try to drill up from the basment, inside where the wall is. Either way, try to use a drill but with a small hole in it. Usually you can just tie the wire to this, and pull it through the hole. When I installed cable and phone jacks for Charter, we had Flex Bits, which were about 4 feet long. It made the whole joba little easier :) You might try to find one of those.

[KISS]

Telephone runs should be "home runs" now. Lots of star connections are not preferred anymore.

The flex bits are expensive. There is the bit, the "steering wheel" and the variable speed drill that's required. Home depot and Lowe's has them. It's not obvious that you nned the steering wheel too. That's about $60 for the bit and "steering wheel".

The phone company may not be your best choice. Anyone that does telephone or network wiring should be able to help.

[retsoksirhc]

*Should be* home run. If he's just moving it over, it would be a splice in the line, not a star off th eone that's there already (As he said, he wants to remove that one.) The reason I suggested fishing a new line is that the old might not be long enough to get where he wants it.

I agree that the phone company is usually not a great choice. They charge a lot for this kind of thing. If you can't find someone else, you could give an Electrician a shot. It should take them too long to do something like this.