More homes will soon lose access to ageing copper cables as this technology continues to be phased out.
Copper cables that have helped us stay connected for over 100 years are being sent to the history books. The UK is gradually transitioning to faster and more reliable FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) technology, which not only enhances internet access speed but also introduces new features for phone users.
The switch to fibre and so-called Digital Voice services – which use the web to make phone calls – has been going on for a while and it’s now been confirmed that another 95 locations will soon be affected by the upgrade.
BT’s Openreach has just announced that “stop sell” alerts have been issued across Britain, including areas such as Manchester, London, Nottingham and Portsmouth. For those not in the know, this basically means new customers and those upgrading their current deals won’t be able to sign up for copper-based services.
Stop Sell is triggered when a majority (75 percent) of premises connected to a particular exchange can get ultrafast Full Fibre.
Although this update won’t affect any existing users, it will change how people stay connected in the future.
Moving away from trusted copper might sound like a daunting change, but it comes with some benefits. Along with much better broadband (Full Fibre offers speeds that over 10 times faster than copper), the move to Digital Voice also offers better quality phone calls, along with new features such as spam call blocking, and call diverting to a mobile phone.
Openreach has also confirmed that customers not yet able to get Ultrafast Full Fibre at their premises won’t be impacted, and can stay on their existing copper-based service until Full Fibre does become available.
“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,” James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, explained.
“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.”
“Already, our Full Fibre network is available to 20 million premises, around 60 per cent of the UK, with more than 7.7 million homes and businesses currently taking a service.”
If you want to know what service is available on your road, you can visit the Openreach postcode checker to see if things have been upgraded.
HERE ARE ALL THE NEW LOCATIONS FACING STOP SELL
Groeslon • Pentraeth • Botwnnog • Horley • Colwyn Bay • Dishes • Llanpumsaint • Reigate
Humbie • Friskney • Forres • Cemmaes • Liphook • Bentpath • Sevenoaks • Trowbridge • Penarth
Liverpool • Carluke • Great Yarmouth • St Neots • Borehamwood • Royal Tunbridge Wells • Chippenham (Wiltshire)
Felixstowe • Forest Hill (Greater London – Lewisham) • Ware • Coggeshall • Albrighton • Arkwright (Nottingham)
Swallownest • Barnsley • Beeston • Blackburn • Blackpool • Bolsover • Fulwood • Plains • Cambuslang • Didsbury Greater Manchester – Manchester
Dinnington (Rotherham) • Elland • Eddington (Birmingham) • Fulwood • North Wingfield • Kegworth • Keighley
Merstham Redhill (Surrey) • New Malden Greater London – Kingston upon Thames • Mansfield • Portsmouth
Priory Birmingham • Gower • Hertford • Cheriton Fitzpaine • Tyrone • Newport (Newport)
Porth • Bethesda • Higher Wincham • Abercynon • Chester • Kelsall • Burslem Stoke-on-Trent
Workington • Ferryhill • Thorngumbald • Adlington • Selsey • Aylesham • Bexley
Higham • Ipswich • Burwell • Eye Eye (City of Peterborough) • Chatteris
Sawtry • Dersingham • Spalding • Provanmill (Glasgow) • Queensbury (Bradford)
Rainham Greater London – Havering • New Rossington • Rusholme (Greater Manchester)
Shifnal • Rayleigh • Springburn Glasgow • Rotherham • Tilbury • Tilton on the Hill • Walsall • Winchburgh