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Openreach — the infrastructure arm of BT, which manages the nationwide network of copper landlines and full-fibre broadband used by brands like EE, TalkTalk, Sky Broadband, Plusnet, and BT itself — has confirmed the next 163 locations where it will block sales of traditional copper-based landline phones.
Halting new sales is the first step in transitioning every address to broadband-powered landlines.
The latest move sees 163 new locations switched from copper cables to full-fibre internet, impacting over 960,000 premises across the UK. Openreach hopes to transition the majority of UK households over to broadband-powered phones, known as Digital Voice, by January 31, 2027.
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Openreach issues a "stop sell" rule in an area when over 75% of properties can access the latest full-fibre broadband connections, which are used to route digital landline calls
OPENREACH PRESS OFFICE
Openreach gives major telecoms, like Sky, TalkTalk, and Vodafone, that rely on its infrastructure a one-year notice period that it will be halting all sales of legacy analogue products and services.
This allows time for broadband providers to slowly transition their customers onto broadband-powered phones. It's known as "stop sell" and only applies in areas where full-fibre broadband is available to 75% or more premises.
By the middle of next month, "stop sell" rules will be active in 852 exchanges across the UK, affecting more than seven million premises where new copper products cannot be sold.
This represents around 40% of Openreach's total 17 million Full Fibre broadband footprint, with more than 5.5 million premises currently taking a service.
The decision to move away from the copper-based technology that has enabled calls in the UK for over a century goes hand-in-hand with the ongoing mission to upgrade broadband infrastructure to future-proofed full-fibre connections. BT-owned Openreach confirmed earlier this month that it's now upgraded 17 million homes to its speediest full-fibre internet.
Plans for a nationwide landline switch-off were first announced back in November 2017. This was not something proposed by the Government, instead, it came from the industry itself.
At the time, industry heavyweights said they were struggling to find parts to maintain and repair analogue phone lines as few companies are still making the components used by this ageing system. However, the move isn't only about sourcing the nuts and bolts to keep copper landlines functioning.
Using fibre-optic technology to make calls offers a number of benefits. If you've used WhatsApp, FaceTime, or Skype to make a call to someone on the other side of the planet — you'll know these all-digital connections can offer much clearer calls, especially over longer distances.
Calls via fibre-topic cable are also less likely to be impacted by bad weather, since this technology is immune from several environmental factors, like temperature and electro-magnetic fluctuations, that negatively impacts copper cables.
Lastly, functionality typically associated with mobile phone calls, like the ability to block incoming calls from a specific number or all withheld numbers, and placing calls in a queue when you’re already speaking on the line are all possible with these newer broadband-powered landlines.
At the end of last year, BT released the first statistics demonstrating the effectiveness of its AI-powered spam protection.
Enabled by default on all Digital Voice landlines, the clever system has thwarted 2.4 million scam calls and alerted users to 17.7 million nuisance calls on UK home phones, the telecom firm has revealed.
Almost everyone in the UK was supposed to be reliant on a broadband-powered landline by now... but the deadline was revised to early 2027 following a series of setbacks
VIRGIN MEDIA O2 PRESS OFFICEThe original deadline for the switchover from ageing landlines to Digital Voice phones was late 2025.
However, following a torrent of issues, which saw some households lose access to the landline number they’d held for 50 years, others stranded without a landline connection for days, and a small number of vulnerable people with personal safety alarms left unable to contact emergency services— the deadline was revised.
Back in May, Openreach confirmed rumoured plans to postpone the landline cull for an additional 13 months. The new deadline to move to broadband-powered phones across the UK will be January 31, 2027.
The latest 163 exchanges — and the 960,000 homes and businesses reliant on the connection from those green boxes in the street — are the latest step in the journey to transition the UK over to internet-fuelled phonelines.
Openreach Managed Customer Migrations Manager, James Lilley 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 17 million homes and businesses, with more than 5.5 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.
"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."
While millions of people have switched to faster, more reliable full-fibre broadband connections and now make landline calls via their internet connection without issue, the trouble faced by some residents in the UK led to some changes. A particular concern emerged around the 1.8 million people in the UK who use personal safety alarms connected to traditional landlines.
Personal alarms, often worn around the neck on a lanyard or on a bracelet, can make life-saving calls to emergency services with the touch of a button PRESS ASSOCIATION Following these issues, telecom providers agreed to new guidelines ensuring vulnerable people with alarms will not be left without a working device during the switchover.
BT has confirmed it won't proactively switch customers over 70 to Digital Voice, though trials have begun for those aged 70-74 in urban areas. The company is offering battery packs to vulnerable customers to maintain service during power cuts, as digital lines, unlike copper ones, don't work during outages.
Customers can check if full-fibre is available at their address through Openreach's online postcode checker or by contacting their service provider.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Those who rely on critical healthcare equipment, lack broadband connection, live in areas without mobile signal, or have additional needs are advised to contact their provider for support during the transition. The switch affects all major providers, including Virgin Media, TalkTalk, and Plusnet, as the industry moves away from the ageing copper network.
