Openreach to Start Closure of 105 National UK Exchanges in April 2025

Network operator Openreach (BT) has confirmed that they will kick off their project to close around 4,600 of their legacy exchanges from 1st April 2025, starting with the introduction of a “stop sell” on new service provisions for an initial batch of 105 sites (due to complete by around 2030/31). This will impact various broadband, PIA and Ethernet services from ISPs.

Just to recap. Openreach currently runs c. 5,600 UK exchanges, but only c. 1,000 of these – the Openreach Handover Points (OHPs) – are used to provide nationwide coverage of modern “fibre broadband” based services (FTTC, FTTP etc.). However, the rollout of full fibre, combined with the retirement of copper lines and legacy services (ADSL, WLR etc.), will make it economically unviable to support both the old and new exchanges.

The operator thus formed a long-term plan to close the vast majority of their older exchanges – known as the Exchange Exit Programme. The aim is to conduct an initial closure of 105 priority exchanges by 2030, with the rest following gradually in the years thereafter. Openreach is already in the process of piloting the closure of an initial 3 exchanges (Deddington, Ballyclare and Kenton Road), with all of those set to have been fully decommissioned by the end of May 2026.

The key goal of this “hugely complex” process is to ensure that all customers are migrated safely and with minimal disruption, which means that the process cannot be rushed, and each individual exchange will thus move toward decommissioning through a series of phases over a period of around 4-7 years (depending upon the complexity of each exchange) – starting with a Stop Sell. After that comes various planning, build and customer migration phases (the latter lasts for c.2 years or more).

In terms of the 4-year approach, the first 3 years would focus on encouraging voluntary migration and using “stop sells” on old products (i.e. you can’t buy them any more), while the final year will involve “supported migrations” or the risk of your service being ceased if the retail internet/phone provider fails to achieve this (in theory, most consumers won’t notice the change). ISPs will also be expected to remove their kit from exchanges in the final year.

Openreach has previously warned that a tiny portion of premises may still be negatively impacted by exchange closures, such as in locations where Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband coverage has not quite achieved universal reach (the vast majority of closures take place after 2030, thus most of the UK will have been reached by FTTP lines). In those cases, the operator may be unable to provide FTTP to every single property (i.e. issues of prohibitively high costs and permissions/consents to cross private land etc.) and “in these scenarios, customers may need to seek an alternative provider or technology solution.”

The operator is also having to grapple with the thorny issue of Ethernet, Dark Fibre (DFX) and PIA (access to existing cable ducts and poles) solutions, which are still supplied by quite a few of the old exchanges. Alternative networks have previously warned that the costs involved with adapting to this could be significant (here) – risking their investments becoming unviable. However, it is known that both Openreach and network operators have been working to find as many viable solutions to these challenges as possible, with some success. But a few operators still expect difficulties.

Otherwise, Openreach have chosen the first 105 exchanges based on a variety of different factors, such as their FTTP coverage, location (avoiding resources contention), volume of Ethernet and optical customers served, and complexity of the exchange itself. In addition, issues of expiring leases and other cost impacts have also played a role.

The operator has also previously said that they would prioritise exchanges where the potential benefits of exit are highest (e.g. those with very high running costs). But just to be clear, the operator will NOT be withdrawing exchanges in areas where doing so would leave lots of existing customers disconnected (i.e. no fibre or FTTC alternatives).

The First 108 Exchange Exits (inc. Pilots)