said by Mike2009:I had something similar outside but not that weird thing you have inside.
When they installed the new NID they connected the internal wiring to it.
I HAVE seen those 'weird things' (2nd photo) before, but the last time I recall doing so, I think it was in the basement of an old house where our family lived, well before days of dialup Internet (possibly pre-1967, even), you know, back when all phones had to be rented from B$ELL, and it was not important for me to learn what exactly the purpose of that round part was, so I never bothered.