Openreach (BT) has today released the next batch of 92 exchanges (Tranche 17) in their “FTTP Priority Exchange Stop Sell” programme, which reflects areas where over 75% of premises are able to get full fibre 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) 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.
92 New Exchange Locations (Tranche 17)
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 (edge-case conflicts may still occur due to rare quirks of network availability).
The 92 exchanges announced today – covering at least 615,000 premises – 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 1096. The “stop sell” in the Tranche 17 areas will be introduced from July 2025.
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 more than 14 million homes and businesses, with more than 4 million premises currently taking a service. Taking advantage of the progress of our full fibre build and encouraging people to upgrade where a majority can access our new network is the right thing to do as it makes no sense, both operationally and commercially, to keep the old copper network and our new fibre network running side-by-side. As copper’s ability to support modern communications declines, the immediate focus is getting people onto newer, future proofed technologies.”
By the end of the summer, these ‘stop sell’ rules will have been activated in more than 700 exchanges (excludes unactivated stop sells) – meaning around 6 million premises will be under active Stop Sell – i.e. premises where Full Fibre is available to a majority of premises & new copper products cannot be sold.
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).
92 Stop Sell Exchanges in Tranche 17
Exchange Name
Exchange Location
Shenley Church End (XCH)
Milton Keynes
Killingworth (KLT)
Longbenton
Greenhill (SF/GL)
Sheffield
Astley Bridge (EAY)
Greater Manchester – Bolton
Prescot (LV/PRE)
Prescot
Heckmondwike (HHJ)
Liversedge
Toothill (THL)
Swindon (Wiltshire)
Saughall(GSU)
Saughall
Barrow On Humber(BCA)
Barrow upon Humber
Blackwater(BLW)
Sandhurst (Berkshire)
Kesgrave(KGF)
Kesgrave
Stowmarket(STW)
Stowmarket
Brandon(BMT)
Brandon (West Suffolk)
Builth Wells(BSX)
Builth Wells
Port Dinorwic(PES)
Y Felinheli
Sittingbourne(SKD)
Sittingbourne
Maesglas(MES)
Newport (Newport)
Hethersett(HIF)
Hethersett
Wymondham(WRA)
Wymondham (South Norfolk)
Burgh Castle(JUQ)
Belton (Great Yarmouth)
Faygate(FYG)
Horsham
Goldthorpe(GTR)
Thurnscoe
Gorseinon(GBY)
Gorseinon
Llanymynech(LLV)
Pant
Galashiels(GL)
Galashiels
Sevington(SGT)
Kingsnorth (Ashford)
Rye(RI)
Rye
Newton Abbot(NEA)
Newton Abbot
Camblesforth Uc(ZNX)
Camblesforth
Wilberfoss(VFS)
Wilberfoss
West Kilbride (WRB)
West Kilbride
Kinross (KR)
Kinross
Morpeth (MP)
Morpeth
Gorleston (YGS)
Gorleston-on-Sea
Kirkbymoorside(KCZ)
Kirkbymoorside
Rasharkin(RKI)
Antrim
Castlereagh(CTH)
Down
Ilmington (IMN)
Ilmington
New Abbey (NAB)
New Abbey
Borgue (BGZ)
Borgue
Kettleholm (KOM)
Hoddomcross
Eastrington (EJD)
Eastrington
Somerby (SOB)
Somerby
Scalford (SLD)
Harby
Knipton (KEC)
Croxton Kerrial
Honington (HTN)
Grantham
Bridge Of Gaur (QUR)
Carie
Newdigate (NDE)
Dorking
Weston (WGH)
Weston (North Hertfordshire)
Kerry (KRY)
Kerry
Yarrow (YRW)
Yarrow
Bretton (JRF)
West Bretton
Thwing (TWI)
Burton Fleming
Mid Yell (MNU)
Mid Yell
Bearsden (GW/BEA)
Bearsden
Horbury (OBE)
Ossett
Urmston (MR/URM)
Greater Manchester – Trafford
Shrewsbury (SY)
Shrewsbury
Harrogate (HG)
Harrogate
Armley (LRY)
Leeds
Waltham Cross (L/WX)
Cheshunt
Sandy (SDT)
Sandy
Newark (NBD)
Newark-on-Trent
Worksop Mnr (WW)
Worksop
Seacroft (SET)
Leeds
Hornchurch (L/HC)
Greater London – Havering
Hindley (HIN)
Greater Manchester – Wigan
Portland(PLX)
Weston (Dorset)
Kidderminster(KD)
Kidderminster
Devonport(DV)
Plymouth
Neath(NM)
Neath
Davidson Mains (EH/DAV)
Edinburgh
Rochford (REP)
Rochford
Donaghmore(DIZ)
Tyrone
Castlederg(CVC)
Tyrone
Dervock(DVK)
Antrim
Maghera(MOZ)
Londonderry
Toomebridge(TIY)
Antrim
Wolverton (WMV)
Milton Keynes
Stony Stratford (STM)
Milton Keynes
Kettering (KZ)
Kettering
Taffs Well(TAT)
Taff’s Well
Ynysowen(YYN)
Merthyr Tydfil
Brecon(BNB)
Brecon
New Southgate(L/ENT)
Greater London – Barnet
Newington (EH/NEW)
Edinburgh
Gortin(GRP)
Tyrone
Beragh(BZD)
Tyrone
Tulnacross(TNC)
Tyrone
Draperstown(DJI)
Londonderry
Stewartstown(SYP)
Tyrone
Glenwherry(GQW)
Antrim