The transition in the UK from outdated copper phone and broadband lines to faster and more dependable full fibre technology is gaining momentum. Millions have already made the switch to this upgraded connectivity in the past year, and more households are set to move away from copper cables.
BT’s Openreach has officially announced that 1.2 million properties will be impacted by the “Stop Sell” alerts, with 132 new locations included in the end-of-life list. When Stop Sell is implemented at a phone exchange, internet service providers relying on Openreach’s network, such as BT, Sky, TalkTalk, and Vodafone, are prohibited from selling traditional copper-based phone and broadband services in areas where full fibre is accessible.
New contracts or renewals will necessitate a shift to fibre broadband for customers in affected areas. This transition also applies to traditional landlines, which are gradually being phased out, with customers being migrated to Digital Voice services. Digital Voice operates by making calls over an internet connection rather than using the aging copper wires still visible in many areas.
Although some older and vulnerable customers have expressed concerns about the change, Digital Voice offers enhanced call quality and additional features like spam call blocking and call diversion to mobile phones.
Openreach has assured that customers without access to full fibre will not be impacted. They can continue using their existing copper-based services until full fibre becomes accessible in their vicinity.
James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, emphasized the importance of the stop sell program in advancing the UK’s transition to a modern full fibre future. By phasing out legacy copper services where fibre is widely available, the move aims to facilitate a smoother transition to faster, more reliable digital infrastructure, reducing the complexity and cost of maintaining two networks.
To determine the services available at their address, individuals can utilize the Openreach postcode checker to ascertain if full fibre has been deployed in their location. The full list of locations newly affected by Stop Sell alerts includes various regions across the UK.
