The United Kingdom is swiftly transitioning from outdated copper phone and broadband infrastructure to advanced full fibre technology, offering faster and more reliable connectivity. In the past year, millions of users have made the switch to this enhanced technology, and more households are set to move away from copper lines in the near future.
BT’s Openreach has recently disclosed that approximately 1.2 million properties will be impacted by the “Stop Sell” alerts, with an additional 132 locations added to the list of areas reaching the end of their service life.
When a phone exchange implements the Stop Sell directive, internet service providers utilizing Openreach’s network, such as BT, Sky, TalkTalk, and Vodafone, are prohibited from offering traditional copper-based phone and broadband services in areas where full fibre is available.
This transition mandates that new or renewed contracts necessitate a switch to fibre broadband. The shift also affects traditional landlines, which are gradually being phased out in favor of Digital Voice services that utilize internet connections instead of aging copper wires.
While some older and vulnerable customers have expressed concerns about the change, Digital Voice offers improved call quality and additional features like spam call blocking and call forwarding to mobile devices.
Openreach reassures that customers without access to full fibre will not be impacted, allowing them to continue using their existing copper-based services until fibre connectivity is available in their area.
James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, emphasized the significance of the stop sell initiative in driving the UK towards a modern full fibre future. He highlighted the importance of transitioning customers and providers to more efficient digital infrastructure, reducing operational costs, and supporting the industry-wide shift towards the complete shutdown of the old PSTN phone network within the next year.
To determine the availability of services in your area, you can utilize the Openreach postcode checker to confirm if full fibre technology has been deployed in your location.
The following locations have been newly affected by the Stop Sell alerts:
York (Acomb) • Rawmarsh • Kirkby In Ashfield • Seaham • Irvine (Stanecastle) • Breaston (Draycott) • Nottingham (Chalfont Drive) • Greater Manchester – Rochdale (Middleton) • Ryton • East Leak
Didcot • Edwinstowe • Blackpool (North Shore) • Birmingham (Selly Oak) • Shrewsbury (Harlescott) • Bristol (Avonmouth) • Greater London – Hillingdon (Ruislip) • Greater Manchester – Rochdale (Littleborough) • Liverpool (Larklane) • Stockton-on