The UK is heading towards a fully digital future, and that means homes face being switched away from older and less reliable technology. One of the biggest victims of this major digital shake-up is copper-based landlines, which have been keeping us connected for over 100 years. Sadly, those wires that dangle above streets across the UK simply can’t keep pace with modern needs and are in the process of being phased out.
Some areas have already lost the ability to connect to phone and broadband via copper and now over 1.6 million more homes will join them in the biggest ever change to date.
BT’s Openreach, which supplies infrastructure to telecoms providers across Britain, has just confirmed that it is issuing a major ‘stop sell’ programme.
This will mean 163 exchange locations will no longer be able to offer copper-based products in the future.
Instead, homes will move to fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) technology, which offers not only faster broadband but also better phone connectivity via digital voice services.
As Openreach explains, “Stop Sell is triggered when a majority (75%) of premises connected to a particular exchange can get ultrafast Full Fibre. Customers who then want to switch, upgrade or re-grade their broadband or phone service will have to take a new digital service over our new Full Fibre network.”
This new update means that by the start of June, ‘stop sell’ rules will have already been activated in 943 exchanges across the UK – meaning more than eight million premises will be under active Stop Sell
If you want to find out what is happening in your street, you can use the Openreach postcode checker to see if Full Fibre services have been switched on.
Here’s a full list of the latest areas to be affected by the changes.
Nuneaton • Birmingham • Wolverhampton • Shustoke • Fen End • Lichfield • Coventry • Clacton-on-Sea • Canvey Island • Ware • Hertford • Colchester • Lakenheath • Norwich • Hemsby • Ipswich • Nottingham • Birstall • Broughton (Kettering) • Northampton (Northamptonshire) • Parwich • Peterborough • Shirebrook • Surfleet Seas End • Tamworth • Whittlesey • Wymondham (Melton) • Wisbech • Armadale • Abbey St Bathans • Avonbridge • Dundee • Forfar • Rosyth • Greater Manchester – Wigan • Southport • Thornton (Wyre) • Preston (Lancashire) • Greater Manchester – Rochdale • Greater Manchester – Wigan • Ulverston • Greater London – Redbridge • South Ockendon • St Albans • Woking • Swanscombe • Greater London – Merton • Redhill (Surrey) • Greater London – Greenwich • Warrington • Liverpool • Greater London – Harrow • Greater London – Harrow • Greater London – Barnet • Greater Manchester – Tameside • Greater Manchester – Manchester • Wilsden • Hemingbrough • Howden • Halifax • Newington • Snodland • Margate • Ditton • Bowburn • Durham • Melsonby • Saltburn-by-the-Sea • Sunderland • Whitburn • Banff • Baltasound • Carrbridge • Dishes • Forres • Peterhead • Clivocast • Gosport • Peacehaven • Polegate • Seaford • Sheffield • Bentley (Doncaster) • Kiveton Park • Louth • Lincoln • Keelby • North Scarle • Dunstable • Long Compton • Broad Hinton • Calne • Bristol • Lacock • Pill • Yatton • Amesbury • Ludgershall (Wiltshire) • Tidworth • Weymouth • Ammanford • St Ishmael’s • Haverfordwest • Llanthony • Cardiff • Porthcawl • Newport (Newport) • Tonypandy • Treorchy • Llangybi • Reading • Badsey • Ipstones • Stoke-on-Trent • Redditch • Aberystwyth • Malltraeth • Caerwys • Castle Caereinion • Waverton •Chester • Ellesmere • Llan Ffestiniog • Trevor • Harlech • Llandrillo • Llanwrtyd Wells • Gellilydan • Northop • Croesowallt • Valley • Telford • King’s Thorn ¶ Port Logan • Ballantrae • Lockerbie • Blantyre • Wishaw • Chapelknowe • Crossford •Greengairs Johnstonebridge • Kilwinning • Sanquhar • Maidens • Biggar • Bridestowe • Chard • Paignton • Crediton • Langtree • St Stephen • St Blazey • Silverton • South Petherton • Yeovil
Speaking about the update, James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Manager, said: “We’re moving to a digital world and Openreach is helping with that transformation by rolling out ultrafast, ultra-reliable, and future-proofed digital Full Fibre across the UK.
“This game changing technology will become the backbone of our economy for decades to come, supporting every aspect of our public services, businesses, industries, and daily lives.
“Already, our Full Fibre network is available to 18 million homes and businesses, with 6.5 million premises currently taking a service.
“The stop sell programme is a critical part of ensuring that the UK’s communication infrastructure is ready to meet the demands of the future.”