Deddington in Oxfordshire has become the first location in the UK to see its old copper-based phone service switched off and replaced with a new digital service.
The area’s exchange has also become the first to be fully fully de-commissioned by Openreach as part of its nationwide shift from copper networks to digital full fibre infrastructure.
The exchange is the first of three, the others being Ballyclare in Northern Ireland, and Kenton Rd in London, due to close by the end of November as part of the firm’s long-term plan to exit 4,600 exchanges once all customers in an area have migrated to fibre-based broadband and phone services.
In their place, Openreach says it will need just 1,000 ‘super digital exchanges’ – also known as Openreach Handover Points (OHPs) – to serve the entire country. On average each OHP replaces 4-5 traditional exchanges, though some may replace ten or more in urban areas with high full fibre penetration.
Closing an exchange and migrating affected customers is a highly complex process, which typically takes around 4-7 years. Work to decommission Deddington began in 2020 when Openreach advised Communication Providers (CPs) – the firms which sell services to end users – of its plans.
Decommissioning of the following exchanges is expected to start in April 2026: Staines, Thames Ditton, Baynard, Wraysbury, Nazeing, Langford, Allestree Park, Beacon, Childwall, Lundin Links, Carrickfergus, Glengormley.
James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, said: “Closing thousands of ‘legacy’ exchanges is a major undertaking, with several million services needing to be migrated.
“Deddington has served as a proof of concept, demonstrating our ability to decommission legacy exchanges safely, securely, and collaboratively.
“Moving to this new digital world will ultimately benefit everybody. CPs will be able to serve their customers from fewer exchanges, helping to save costs through consolidation of equipment and reduced space and power requirements.
“And millions of end users will benefit from more reliable and faster fibre-based services – that will be scalable for decades without needing major upgrades.
“It’s not just about switching off old kit – it’s about building a future-proofed, simpler network for the UK.”