Openreach extends copper ‘stop sell’ to another 1.2m premises

Openreach has revealed a further 132 exchange locations – which collectively cover 1.23 million premises – where it will stop selling traditional copper-based phone and broadband services in favour of full fibre connections and digital services.

The company, whose network is used by many of the UK’s largest broadband and phone providers, has a policy to stop selling analogue products and services when full fibre becomes available to at least 75% of premises served by each exchange.  

Providers such as BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone are given at least one year’s notice of such ‘stop sell’ decisions after which customers who want to switch, upgrade or renew their broadband or phone service must take a new digital service.

Customers covered by exchanges not yet able to deliver Full Fibre at their premises can stay on their existing copper based service until the technology becomes available.

Openreach says more than 1280 exchanges and 12.5 million premises across the UK are now covered by Stop Sell orders. 

James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, said: “Our stop sell programme is a vital step in accelerating the UK’s transition to a modern full fibre future. As copper’s ability to support modern communications declines, the immediate focus is getting people onto newer, future proofed technologies.”

“By phasing out legacy copper-based services in areas where fibre is now widely available, we’re ensuring customers and providers move onto faster, more reliable, digital infrastructure. 

“This approach not only reduces the cost and complexity of having to maintain both old and new networks but also supports the industry-wide migration ahead of the legacy copper-based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) now just over 12-months away, by which time everyone will need a digital phone line.”

New Exchanges to be notified for Stop Sell. 

Exchange NameExchange Location
Acomb (AAC)York
RawmarshRawmarsh
Kirkby In AshfieldKirkby-in-Ashfield
SeahamSeaham
StanecastleIrvine
DraycottBreaston
Chalfont DriveNottingham
MiddletonGreater Manchester – Rochdale
Ryton (RGI)Ryton
East LeakeEast Leake
DidcotDidcot
EdwinstoweEdwinstowe
North ShoreBlackpool
Selly OakBirmingham
HarlescottShrewsbury
AvonmouthBristol
RuislipGreater London – Hillingdon
LittleboroughGreater Manchester – Rochdale
LarklaneLiverpool
Norton (XNB)Stockton-on-Tees
GreenfordGreater London – Ealing
BlackheathRowley Regis
WombwellWombwell
CliffeCliffe
DartonBarnsley
RothleyMountsorrel
South ClaphamGreater London – Wandsworth
DringhousesYork
SlamannanSlamannan
MidcalderEast Calder
DaubhillGreater Manchester – Bolton
SunderlandSunderland
DunstonGateshead
RyhopeSunderland
RoystonRoyston
LarkhallLarkhall
WishawWishaw
LibertonEdinburgh
HardwickeGloucester
Edmonton (L/EDM)Greater London – Enfield
Luton (LOL)Luton
Streatham (L/STR)Greater London – Lambeth
Bookham (L/BK)Leatherhead
Plymouth (PY)Plymouth
BANWELL​Weston-Super-Mare
QUATT​Alveley
Corwen​Crowen
Llanilar​Lianilar
Chatburn​Chatburn
Mellor​Blackburn
BELMONT​Belmont
BenburbTyrone
Henham (FNM)Henham
New Luce (NLG)New Luce
Waterbeck (WWA)Kirtleton
Garvald (GVD)Garvald
Stobo (SDP)Stobo
Lapford (LVD)Lapford
Loganswell (LOW)Newton Mearns
Tarskavaig (TVI)Tarskavaig
Dunure (DNR)Dunure
East Langton (ELT)Foxton (Harborough)
Glyndwr (GFY)Carrog
Bardon Mill (BUM)Tow House
Corby Glen (CMG)Grantham
Scarinish (SCL)Scarinish
Pontyates (PYH)Pontyates
Llandyssul (LY)Llandysul
Velindre (VLD)Waungilwen
Manorbier (MNF)Jameston
Rudyard (RUD)Leek
Llanilar (LIL)Llanilar
Baslow (BCL)Baslow
Carew (ZIU)Sageston
Saundby (XYU)Beckingham
Market Bosworth (MFU)Barlestone
Harbury (HRU)Harbury
Kibworth (KAY)Kibworth Harcourt
Sapcote (SCT)Stoney Stanton
Thrapston (TCS)Thrapston
Cropredy (ZOW)Wardington
Wellesbourne (WEE)Wellesbourne
Sutton Elms (SEM)Broughton Astley
Grantham (GM)Grantham
Barrow (BRR)Bury St Edmunds
Heacham (HEM)Hunstanton
Downhall (DHL)Rayleigh
Heath And Reach (HRZ)Heath and Reach
Watton At Stone (WDH)Watton at Stone
Salhouse (SAH)Rackheath
Castor (ZCI)Castor
Romford South (L/RM)Greater London – Havering
Middleton On Sea (MZD)Bognor Regis
West Auckland (WEY)Bishop Auckland
Crofton (ZEP)Sharlston
Dipton (DCU)Annfield Plain
Skelmanthorpe (SMH)Clayton West
Red Row (REO)Hadston
West Ayton (WYF)East Ayton
Millom (MKF)Millom
Rowlands Gill (RGL)Rowlands Gill
Shap (SGA)Shap
Cayton Bay Uc (ZYA)Scarborough
Spennymoor (SON)Spennymoor
Southport (SP)Southport
Todmorden (TM)Todmorden
Whitehaven (WN)Whitehaven
Aboyne (AHW)Aboyne
Dumfries (DS)Dumfries
Airth (ATR)Airth
Doune (DGJ)Doune
Hopeman (HPI)Burghead
Helensburgh (HPB)Helensburgh
Hullavington (HVQ)Hullavington
Havant (HFG)Havant
Porthtowan (PQW)Mount Hawke
Sticklepath (XAG)South Zeal
Germoe (GKO)Goldsithney
Street (SUG)Street
Brean Down (JFN)Burnham-on-Sea
Llansteffan (LLM)Llansteffan
Fairford (FAC)Fairford
Rossett (RFB)Rossett
Trearddur Bay (TRR)Trearddur
Moelfre (MFE)Moelfre
Pontycymmer (PEK)Pontycymer
Kenfig Hill (KGH)Pyle
Leominster (LDS)Leominster
Biddulph (BCG)Biddulph
Burton On Trent (BT)Burton upon Trent
Teignmouth (TG)Teignmouth
Rothwell (RFK)Rothwell