The transition in the UK from old copper phone and broadband lines to faster and more reliable full fibre technology is gaining momentum. In the past year, millions have shifted to this upgraded connectivity, and more households are set 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. Once Stop Sell is implemented at a phone exchange, internet service providers like BT, Sky, TalkTalk, and Vodafone cannot offer traditional copper-based services in areas where full fibre is accessible.
Individuals signing new contracts or renewing existing ones will need to switch to fibre broadband. This shift also affects traditional landlines, which are gradually being phased out in favor of Digital Voice, enabling calls over an internet connection rather than through aging wires.
Despite concerns raised by some older and vulnerable customers, Digital Voice provides clearer call quality and additional features like spam call blocking and call diversion to mobile phones.
Openreach assures that customers without access to full fibre will not be affected and can continue using their current copper-based services until fibre becomes available in their region.
James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, emphasized the importance of the stop sell program in advancing the UK’s move towards a modern full fibre future. Retiring legacy copper services in areas with widespread fibre availability helps customers and providers transition to faster, more reliable digital infrastructure, streamlining operations and supporting the industry-wide shift preceding the complete shutdown of the old PSTN phone network.
To verify available services at your address, you can utilize the Openreach postcode checker to determine if full fibre has been deployed in your area.
Below is the updated list of locations affected by Stop Sell alerts:
– York (Acomb)
– Rawmarsh
– Kirkby In Ashfield
– Seaham
– Irvine (Stanecastle)
– Breaston (Draycott)
– Nottingham (Chalfont Drive)
– Greater Manchester – Rochdale (Middleton)
– Ryton
– East Leak
– And more locations as listed in the article.
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