Openreach (BT) has released the next batch of 79 exchanges (Tranche 18) in their “FTTP Priority Exchange Stop Sell” programme, which reflects areas where over 75% of premises are able to get full fibre lines and will thus stop selling copper based analogue phone and broadband products (i.e. FTTP becomes the only product option).
Currently, there are two schemes for moving away from old copper lines and services, which can sometimes criss-cross. The first starts with the gradual migration of traditional analogue voice (PSTN / WLR) services to digital all-IP technologies (e.g. SOGEA), which is due to complete by 31st January 2027 and is occurring on both copper and full fibre products (i.e. ISPs are introducing digital voice / VoIP services). The national “stop sell” on analogue phone services began on 5th September 2023 (here).
The second “FTTP Priority Exchange” programme involves the ongoing rollout of gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) lines – using light signals via optical fibre instead of electrical signals via slow copper lines. Only after this second programme has largely completed (75%+ FTTP coverage) in an exchange area can you really start to completely switch-off copper-based products, which will come later as you have to allow time for natural customer migrations.
Between the scrapping of analogue phone services, the full fibre rollout and the gradual switch away from copper lines themselves, this process will take several years in each area to complete, and the pace will vary (i.e. some areas have better coverage of full fibre than others). Naturally, premises that can’t yet get FTTP will continue to be served by copper-based broadband products.
79 New Exchange Locations (Tranche 18)
In this programme, the migration process away from legacy services starts with a “no move back” policy (i.e. no going back to copper) for premises connected with FTTP, which is followed by a “stop-sell” of copper services to new customers (12-months of notice is given before this starts and that is what today’s list represents). This stage is then followed by a final “withdrawal” phase, but that comes later.
The stop sell is applied at premises level, so it shouldn’t impact you if you don’t yet have access to FTTP, although edge-case conflicts may still occur due to rare quirks of network availability.
The 79 exchanges announced today takes the total number of exchange upgrades that have already been notified as part of the aforementioned process (including trial exchanges), or which are actively under “stop sell” to 1,175. The “stop sell” in the Tranche 18 areas will be introduced from 6th November 2025.
The operator also has a Stop Sells Page on their website, which makes it easy to see all the planned changes. Otherwise, the following list is tentative, so changes and delays will occur (exchanges can and are often shifted around into different tranches).
79 Stop Sell Exchanges in Tranche 18
Exchange Name
Exchange Location
Exchange Code
Collingham Bridge (ZOG)
Collingham
MYCOL
Ecclesfield (ESF)
Sheffield
SLEF
Mexborough (MIT)
Mexborough
SLMEX
Old Whittington (NEP)
Chesterfield
SLOLD
Brent Knoll (QKO)
Burnham-on-Sea
WWBKNO
Bridgnorth (BNS)
Bridgnorth
CMBRI
Bury St Edmunds (BN)
Bury St Edmunds
EABSE
Caersws (CZX)
Caersws
WNCSW
Drayton (DRX)
Taverham
EADRA
Hartlepool (WP)
Hartlepool
NEHAL
Machynlleth (MAF)
Machynlleth
WNMAC
Pocklington (PDP)
Pocklington
MYPOC
Riccall (RAL)
Riccall
MYRIC
Rowhedge (RHG)
Rowhedge
EAROW
Cranmore (VTC)
Shepton Mallet
SSCRA
Dundrod (DVD)
Unmapped
NIDOD
Mossyard (MZC)
Gatehouse of Fleet
WSMOD
Mochrum (MHM)
Bladnoch
WSMOC
Cummertrees (ZMT)
Powfoot
WSCMM
Bobbington (JOB)
Bobbington
CMBOB
Port Of Menteith (PRM)
Buchlyvie
ESPRM
Trossachs (TSS)
Brig o’Turk
ESTRO
Balfour (QFO)
Pierowall
NSBFR
Medbourne Green (MEB)
Medbourne
EMMEDBO
Stoke Goldington (XGS)
Newport Pagnell
SMSGT
Bleasby (JLI)
Carlton (Gedling)
EMBLEAS
Hursley (HUY)
Eastleigh
STHRSLY
Abermule (AAG)
Abermule
WNAMU
Yarrowford (YRF)
Yarrowford
ESYRF
Fair Isle (FIE)
Cunningsburgh
NSFIS
Weston-Super-Mare
Weston-Super-Mare
SSWSM
Shotts (SXK)
Shotts
ESSHO
Whitstable (WHV)
Whitstable
NDWHI
Airdrie (AHY)
Airdrie
WSAIR
Anfield (LV/ANF)
Liverpool
LVANF
Boldon (QGP)
Jarrow
NEBO
Bootle (LV/BOO)
Bootle
LVBOO
Cheslyn Hay (ZAH)
Great Wyrley
CMCHY
Codsall (COJ)
Codsall
CMCOD
Dewsbury (DW)
Dewsbury
MYDEW
Kempston (KPN)
Kempston
SMKT
Kings Norton
Birmingham
CMKING
Market Harborough (MGA)
Market Harborough
EMMRKTH
Marshalls Cross (MSL)
St Helens
LVMSX
Runcorn Main (RZ)
Runcorn
LVRNM
Stafford (SPA)
Stafford
WMSPA
Wantage (WBY)
Wantage
SMWN
West Bromwich (BM/WES)
West Bromwich
CMWESB
Whiteley (SBP)
South Hampshire
STWHTLY
Woodseats (SF/WS)
Sheffield
SLWS
Barrow-In -Furness (BBZ)
Barrow-in-Furness
LCBAR
Gresford (GEF)
Llay
WNGRE
Ravenhill (RVH)
Swansea
SWRVH
Rossendale (RBK)
Rawtenstall
LCROS
Ellon (EL)
Ellon
NSELL
Swindon (SWP)
Swindon (Wiltshire)
SSSWN
Aughafatten (AFN)
Antrim
NIAFN
Moneymore (MRN)
Londonderry
NIMM
Carrickmore (ZEF)
Tyrone
NICE
Kneller Hall
Greater London – Richmond upon Thames
LWKNE
Pembury
Royal Tunbridge Wells
NDPEM
Redcar (RBZ)
Redcar
NERC
Scarborough (SC)
Scarborough
MYSCA
Tewkesbury (TX)
Tewkesbury
SSTXY
Thorpe (TCU)
Norwich
EATHP
Wrexham (WX)
Wrexham
WNWX
Ibstock (IAA)
Ibstock
EMIBSTO
Pelsall (PBC)
Aldridge
CMPEL
Pontefract (PB)
Pontefract
MYPON
Seighford (SEI)
Great Bridgeford
WMSEI
St.Helens (SBK)
St Helens
LVSAI
Stone Cross (BM/STO)
West Bromwich
CMSTOX
Westhoughton (WFV)
Greater Manchester – Bolton
LCWES
Brigg (BOI)
Brigg
SLBOI
Lowestoft (LT)
Lowestoft
EALOW
Dorchester (DO)
Dorchester (West Dorset)
STDORCH
Cowes (CNI)
Cowes
SDCWS
Haywards Heath (HGR)
Haywards Heath
SDHYWRD
Penzance (PZ)
Penzance
WWPENZ