Britain is moving away from ageing copper cables with one of the biggest ever shutdowns now confirmed.
More than 1.5 million homes will soon find they can no longer sign up for and use ageing copper technology. It’s just been confirmed that one of the UK’s biggest ever telecom and broadband changes is about to take place, and it will mean the end of the old-fashioned landline. The update has just been announced by BT’s Openreach, who supply infrastructure across the whole of the UK.
The company says it has just issued a new “Stop Sell” alert in over 160 locations, which basically means providers that use its technology – such as BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Plusnet – will soon be forced to move new customers – and those taking out updated contracts – over to the latest fibre technology.
As Openreach explains, “Stop Sell is triggered when a majority (75%) of premises connected to a particular exchange can get ultrafast Full Fibre. Customers who then want to switch, upgrade or re-grade their broadband or phone service will have to take a new digital service over our new Full Fibre network.”
Landlines won’t be disconnected, but they will be switched over to digital voice calls, which use the internet instead of copper wires to keep people connected.
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Bonuses of Full Fibre connectivity include clearer calls, improved features and, of course, much faster broadband speeds. Copper wires can only cope downloads of around 70Mbps, switch to fibre and this increases to 1,000Mbps.
If you want to know if you have full fibre in your street you can use the Openreach postcode checker.
Here are all the locations where the Stop Sell will soon be enforced.
Nuneaton • Birmingham • Wolverhampton • Shustoke • Fen End • Lichfield • Coventry • Clacton-on-Sea • Canvey Island • Ware • Hertford • Colchester • Lakenheath • Norwich • Hemsby • Ipswich • Nottingham • Birstall • Broughton (Kettering) • Northampton (Northamptonshire) • Parwich • Peterborough • Shirebrook • Surfleet Seas End • Tamworth • Whittlesey • Wymondham (Melton) • Wisbech • Armadale • Abbey St Bathans
• Avonbridge • Dundee • Forfar • Rosyth • Greater Manchester – Wigan • Southport • Thornton (Wyre) • Preston (Lancashire) • Greater Manchester – Rochdale • Greater Manchester – Wigan • Ulverston • Greater London – Redbridge • South Ockendon • St Albans • Woking • Swanscombe • Greater London – Merton • Redhill (Surrey) • Greater London – Greenwich • Warrington • Liverpool • Greater London – Harrow • Greater London – Harrow • Greater London – Barnet • Greater Manchester – Tameside • Greater Manchester – Manchester • Wilsden • Hemingbrough • Howden • Halifax • Newington • Snodland • Margate • Ditton • Bowburn • Durham • Melsonby • Saltburn-by-the-Sea • Sunderland • Whitburn
Banff • Baltasound • Carrbridge • Dishes • Forres • Peterhead • Clivocast • Gosport • Peacehaven • Polegate • Seaford • Sheffield • Bentley (Doncaster) • Kiveton Park • Louth • Lincoln • Keelby
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North Scarle • Dunstable • Long Compton • Broad Hinton • Calne • Bristol • Lacock • Pill • Yatton • Amesbury • Ludgershall (Wiltshire) • Tidworth • Weymouth • Ammanford • St Ishmael’s • Haverfordwest • Llanthony • Cardiff • Porthcawl • Newport (Newport) • Tonypandy • Treorchy • Llangybi • Reading • Badsey • Ipstones • Stoke-on-Trent • Redditch • Aberystwyth • Malltraeth • Caerwys • Castle Caereinion • Waverton
Chester • Ellesmere • Llan Ffestiniog • Trevor • Harlech • Llandrillo • Llanwrtyd Wells • Gellilydan • Northop • Croesowallt • Valley • Telford • King’s Thorn ¶ Port Logan • Ballantrae • Lockerbie • Blantyre • Wishaw • Chapelknowe • Crossford •Greengairs Johnstonebridge • Kilwinning • Sanquhar • Maidens • Biggar • Bridestowe • Chard • Paignton • Crediton • Langtree • St Stephen • St Blazey • Silverton • South Petherton • Yeovil
Speaking about the changes, 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 18 million homes and businesses, with 6.5 million premises currently taking a service.
“The stop sell programme is a critical part of ensuring that the UK’s communication infrastructure is ready to meet the demands of the future.”