Most households in the UK are now aware of the ongoing transition from traditional copper phone and broadband networks to a digital future. This shift aims to enhance speed and reliability while phasing out obsolete wires that have been in place for over a century. BT’s Openreach, the provider of telecom infrastructure nationwide, has initiated a “stop sell” policy, compelling companies like BT, Sky, Plusnet, and TalkTalk to discontinue legacy copper contracts and transition customers to full-fibre broadband and Digital Voice services.
Following the announcement of a “stop sell,” a specific timeframe is given before non-fibre connections are deactivated, demonstrating the seriousness of the initiative. The first exchange in the UK, located in Deddington, Oxfordshire, has now been formally decommissioned, ceasing to provide phone and other services to residences.
Former users of this exchange can now access the internet and make calls exclusively through FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) technology. Deddington is the initial exchange to close, with Ballyclare in Northern Ireland and Kenton Road in London scheduled for closure by the end of November. This marks the commencement of Openreach’s plan to retire approximately 4,600 copper-based exchanges nationwide as consumers transition to fibre-only services.
The transition is driven by the superior speed and reliability of fibre networks, which can be more than ten times faster than copper. Digital Voice users benefit from clearer calls and advanced features such as call filtering. Fiber infrastructure is also more compact, utilizing lightweight cables and software-based switches instead of the bulky hardware of copper systems.
Under the new structure, Openreach will operate around 1,000 modern “super digital exchanges,” known as Openreach Handover Points (OHPs), to serve the entire UK. In Deddington, about 1,800 copper lines have been upgraded to full fibre, with services managed from the nearby Banbury OHP.
James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, expressed that the project involves the migration of millions of services. The successful closure of Deddington demonstrates the company’s ability to retire outdated infrastructure effectively and securely.
Lilley emphasized that the digital transition will benefit both providers and consumers, reducing costs through network consolidation for providers and offering faster, more reliable fibre connections that are scalable for the future. He highlighted the importance of building a future-proof, simplified network for the UK.
Deddington is just the beginning of the transition, with additional exchanges like Wraysbury, Childwall, Glengormley, and Staines on the closure list. The top 12 exchanges scheduled for closure next are:
– Staines
– Thames Ditton
– Baynard
– Wraysbury
– Nazeing
– Langford
– Allestree Park
– Beacon
– Childwall
– Lundin Links
– Carrickfergus
– Glengormley