The transition in the UK from old-fashioned copper phone and broadband lines to advanced full fibre technology is gaining momentum. Millions have already switched to this upgraded connectivity, and more households will soon be required to move away from copper cables.
BT’s Openreach has confirmed 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 dependent 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.
This shift mandates that new or renewed contracts must opt for fibre broadband, affecting traditional landlines as well, which are gradually being phased out in favor of Digital Voice. The new service enables calls over an internet connection rather than through the old wiring still visible in many areas.
While concerns have been raised by some older and vulnerable customers regarding the change, Digital Voice offers enhanced call quality and features like spam call blocking and call diversion to mobile phones.
Openreach assures that customers without access to full fibre currently will not be impacted, allowing them to stay on their existing copper-based services until fibre becomes available in their locality.
James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, emphasized that the stop sell initiative is crucial for transitioning the UK to a modern full fibre future. By phasing out legacy copper services where fibre is widely accessible, the shift to faster and more reliable digital infrastructure is facilitated, reducing operational costs and supporting the industry-wide move toward the imminent shutdown of the old PSTN phone network.
To determine the services available at your address, utilize the Openreach postcode checker to ascertain if full fibre has been deployed in your vicinity.
For the updated list of locations impacted by Stop Sell alerts, refer below:
– [List of locations affected by Stop Sell alerts]
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