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Openreach<\/a> (BT<\/a>) has today published the next batch of 112 exchanges (Tranche 25) \u2013 covering 554,918 premises \u2013 under their \u201cFTTP<\/a> Priority Exchange\u201d stop sell programme. This reflects areas where over 75% of premises are able to get full fibre lines and will thus stop selling copper based legacy phone and broadband products (i.e. FTTP<\/a> becomes the only product option, where available).<\/p>\n Currently, there are two schemes for moving away from old copper lines and services, which can sometimes cross over a bit. The first starts with the gradual migration of traditional legacy voice (PSTN \/ WLR) services to digital all-IP technologies (e.g. SOGEA<\/a>), which is due to complete by 31st January 2027<\/a> and is occurring on both copper and full fibre products (i.e. ISPs are introducing digital voice \/ VoIP services). The national \u201cstop sell\u201d on legacy phone services began on 5th September 2023 (here<\/a>).<\/p>\n NOTE: Openreach<\/a>\u2019s full fibre network currently covers over 23.5 million premises (66% of the UK), and they aim to reach 25 million (80%+) by the end of 2026, followed by an ambition for up to 30m by 2030 (subject to the right conditions).<\/p>\n The second \u201cFTTP<\/a> Priority Exchange\u201d programme involves the ongoing rollout of gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) lines \u2013 using light signals via optical fibre instead of electrical signals via slow copper lines. Only after this second programme has largely completed (75%+ FTTP coverage) in an exchange area can you really start to completely switch-off copper-based products, which will come later as you have to allow lots of time for natural customer migrations.<\/p>\n Between the scrapping of legacy phone services, the full fibre rollout and the gradual switch away from copper lines themselves, this process will take several years in each area to complete, and the pace will vary (i.e. some areas have better coverage of Openreach<\/a>\u2019s full fibre lines than others). Just to be clear, though, premises that can\u2019t yet get FTTP will continue to be served by copper-based broadband products.<\/p>\n NOTE: SOGEA (FTTC<\/a>), SOTAP (ADSL2+) and SOGfast (G.fast<\/a>) are all copper-based broadband-only products, where voice services can only be added as an optional digital IP \/ VoIP phone service (i.e. no analogue phones). In this programme, the migration process away from legacy services starts with a \u201cno move back\u201d policy (i.e. no going back to copper) for premises connected with FTTP, which is followed by a \u201cstop-sell\u201d of copper services to new customers (12-months of notice is given before this starts and that is what today\u2019s list represents). This stage is then followed by a final \u201cwithdrawal\u201d phase, but that comes later.<\/p>\n The stop sell is applied at premises level, so it shouldn\u2019t impact you if you don\u2019t yet have access to FTTP, although edge-case conflicts may still occur due to rare quirks of network availability. The 112 exchanges being confirmed today will take the total number of notified exchange stop sells to 2,213. The stop sell in today\u2019s list will become effective in 12-months time on 20th August 2027.<\/p>\n James Lilley, Openreach\u2019s Managed Customer Migrations Director, said:<\/p>\n \u201cOur stop sell programme is a vital step in accelerating the UK\u2019s transition to a modern full fibre future. As copper\u2019s ability to support modern communications declines, the immediate focus is getting people onto newer, future proofed technologies.\u201d<\/p>\n By phasing out legacy copper-based services in areas where fibre is now widely available, we\u2019re ensuring customers and providers move onto faster, more reliable, digital infrastructure. This approach not only reduces the cost and complexity of having to maintain both old and new networks but also supports the industry-wide migration ahead of the legacy copper-based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) now just six months away, by which time everyone will need a digital phone line.\u201d<\/p>\n Put another way, by 20th August 2027, \u2018stop sell\u2019 rules will have been activated in 1,572 exchanges across the UK \u2013 meaning around 15.4 million premises are under active Stop Sell, which is equal to 57% of Openreach\u2019s total full fibre footprint (23.5 million THP).<\/p>\n NOTE: Openreach has around 5,600 exchanges. But hybrid fibre (FTTC<\/a>, G.fast<\/a>) and full fibre (FTTP) services are supplied via different exchanges (c.1,000 of that 5,600 total) and up to 4,600 will eventually close (after 2030) \u2013 see here<\/a>, here<\/a>, here<\/a>, here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n112 New Exchange Locations (Tranche 25)<\/p>\n