How Much Does it Cost to Have a Phone Jack Installed?

Average Phone Jack Installation Cost

Phone Jack and Wiring Costs

A phone jack with one outlet costs $3 to $10, while a jack with multiple outlets costs $5 to $10. Phone wiring with four twisted pairs and good shielding costs about $0.15 per foot when you buy 100 feet of it. The phone jack and wiring are the two major components for installing a phone jack, although you won’t even need new wiring for many simple installations. Each phone device requires at least one pair of wires to connect it.

Simple Phone Line Installation Costs

In addition to the jack itself, a simple phone installation only requires wire strippers and a screwdriver, which cost less than $10 each. This type of installation requires you to connect the phone jack to one or more pairs of existing wires. Most modern houses in the United States have 6P6C (6-position, 6-conductor) modules, which allow you to connect up to three pairs of wires to it. One wire in each pair is the “tip” for that line, while the other wire is the “ring.”

Complete Professional Phone Line Installation Costs

The cost of hiring a phone installer in your area is between $50 and $80 per hour. A complete installation requires one to two hours per jack, for a total cost of $50 to $160. This process assumes you need to run wire from the telephone pole to the location in your house where you want the phone jack installed.

The installers will use a stud finder to locate an appropriate place for the jack that isn’t in front of a stud. They’ll then cut a hole for the outlet in the wall with a drywall saw. The next step is to connect telephone wiring to the telephone pole and run the other end into the house and behind the walls to the hole they cut in the wall earlier. This step requires careful use of a flashlight and other tools to pull the cable through the walls.

Wall Access

The labor cost of a phone installation can double or even triple if the installer has limited access to the inter-wall spaces. In a new home, installers can simply run the cables from the telephone pole to the jacks before the drywall goes up. However, installers don’t have this option in an existing home. In these cases, the installer needs to make a series of small holes in the hole at various locations, pulling the cable from one hole to the next.

Digital Phone Service Costs

The cost of digital phone service starts at about $10 per month. The major cable providers all offer homeowners the ability to plug their landline phones into their cable modem as if it were a regular phone jack. The modem then uses an internet signal to send and receive voice communications. The primary drawback with digital phone service is that it requires internet connectivity, which even a minor storm can disrupt.

FAQs

Do electricians install phone jacks?

Electricians do install phone jacks, although it isn’t typically necessary. Phone lines carry extremely small amounts of electrical current, so installing a phone jack doesn’t pose a safety hazard. A general contractor should be able to do the job just as well and for less than an electrician in your area.

How much does it cost to get a cable jack installed?

If you do it yourself and already have the tools, a simple installation only requires the phone jack, which can cost under $10. However, the cost goes up dramatically if you need a general contractor in your area to run new wiring, typically about $200 for parts and labor.

How do I add a phone jack to a room?

In the simplest case, adding a phone jack consists of connecting one or more pairs of wires to the jack and attaching the jack to the wall. The biggest part of this process is determining which terminal to attach each wire to.