The move will affect services in the North West including Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cheshire
Openreach have identified 94 UK locations which will switch to full-fibre in the next year(Image: Getty)
As part of the UK’s ambitious plans to dismantle the century-old network of copper phone lines that have connected landline calls and home broadband across the country, BT-owned Openreach has announced the next 94 locations set for disconnection. These exchanges will affect approximately 960,000 premises nationwide, it has been reported.
The initiative is part of Openreach’s “stop sell” strategy, which will see these 94 areas transitioned away from copper-based landlines and broadband services over the coming 12 months, shifting instead to upgraded next-generation full-fibre infrastructure. Following the upgrade, users will be required to switch to a broadband-powered telephone service, using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology for calls – the same technology already used by applications like WhatsApp, Skype, and Messenger.
The copper-based system, operational since 1876, will be decommissioned once three-quarters of premises have been upgraded. The full-fibre upgrade will provide users with several enhanced features, including the capability to call multiple people simultaneously, improved call quality, number blocking functionality and incoming spam protection.
However, unlike conventional landlines, which remain operational during power outages as they receive power from the exchange, VoIP systems require a backup power bank to function without electricity.
Numerous providers, including BT, Virgin Media and TalkTalk, market this service as “Digital Voice”, though terminology differs between companies. According to current plans, the overwhelming majority of the UK will have transitioned to this technology by the end of January 2027 – a date 13 months later than the original projection from last year, reports the Express.
BT-owned Openreach has named over 90 locations set for a major switch-off(Image: Getty)
Numerous major areas, including Greater Manchester, Blackpool, Portsmouth, Chester and Birmingham, are amongst the locations scheduled to make the switch in the next 12 months, alongside smaller communities across all four nations of the UK, including Carluke in Scotland, Botwnnog in Wales, Newtownstewart in Tyrone, Northern Ireland and Coggeshall in England.
Openreach Managed Customer Migrations Director, James Lilley, said: “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.”
94 exchange names and locations to be affected by UK landline switch-off
Wales
- Llanwnda, Groeslon, Wales
- Pentraeth, Pentraeth, Wales
- Botwnnog, Botwnnog, Wales
- Tynygroes, Colwyn Bay, Wales
- Llanpumsaint, Llanpumsaint, Wales
- Cemmaes Road, Cemmaes, Wales
- Penarth, Penarth, Wales
- Abergynolwyn, Twywn, Wales
- Gower, Reynoldston, Wales
- Newport Chartist, Newport, Wales
- Bethesda, Bethesda, Wales
- Abercynon, Abercynon, Wales
England
- Norwood Hill, Horley, England
- Dawes Green, Reigate, England
- Friskney, Friskney, England
- Passfield, Liphook, England
- Ide Hill, Sevenoaks, England
- Trowbridge, Trowbridge, England
- North, Liverpool, England
- Great Yarmouth, Great Yarmouth, England
- St Neots, St Neots, England
- Elstree, Borehamwood, England
- Tunbridge Wells, Royal Tunbridge Wells, England
- Chippenham, Chippenham (Wiltshire), England
- Felixstowe, Felixstowe, England
- Forest Hill, Lewisham, Greater London, England
- Ware, Ware, England
- Coggeshall, Coggeshall, England
- Albrighton, Albrighton, England
- Arkwright, Nottingham, England
- Aston Common, Swallownest, England
- Barnsley, Barnsley, England
- Beeston, Beeston (Broxtowe), England
- Blackburn, Blackburn, England
- Blackpool, Blackpool, England
- Bolsover, Bolsover, England
- Broughton, Fulwood, England
- Didsbury, Greater Manchester, England
- Dinnington, Dinnington (Rotherham), England
- Elland, Elland, England
- Erdington, Birmingham, England
- Fulwood, Fulwood, England
- Holmewood, North Wingfield, England
- Kegworth, Kegworth, England
- Keighley, Keighley, England
- Merstham, Redhill (Surrey), England
- New Malden, Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, England
- Pleasley, Mansfield, England
- Portsmouth North, Portsmouth, England
- Priory, Birmingham, England
- Bayford, Hertford, England
- Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cheriton Fitzpaine, England
- Pickmere, Higher Wincham, England
- Chester Central, Chester, England
- Kelsall, Kelsall, England
- Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England
- Workington, Workington, England
- Ferryhill, Ferryhill, England
- Keyingham, Thorngumbald, England
- Adlington, Adlington, England
- Selsey, Selsey, England
- Nonington, Aylesham, England
- Dartford, Bexley, Greater London, England
- Higham, Higham, England
- Shotley, Ipswich, England
- Burwell, Burwell, England
- Eye, Eye (City of Peterborough), England
- Chatteris, Chatteris, England
- Sawtry, Sawtry, England
- Dersingham, Dersingham, England
- Spalding, Spalding, England
- Queensbury, Bradford, England
- Rainham, Havering, Greater London, England
- Rossington, New Rossington, England
- Rusholme, Greater Manchester, England
- Shifnal, Shifnal, England
- South Benfleet, Rayleigh, England
- Thrybergh, Rotherham, England
- Tilbury, Tilbury, England
- Tilton, Tilton on the Hill, England
- Walsall, Walsall, England
Scotland
- Stronsay, Dishes, Orkney Islands, Scotland
- Humbie, Humbie, Scotland
- Dunphail, Forres, Scotland
- Bentpath, Bentpath, Scotland
- Carluke, Carluke, Scotland
- Caldercruix, Plains, Scotland
- Cambuslang, Cambuslang, Scotland
- Provanmill, Glasgow, Scotland
- Springburn, Glasgow, Scotland
- Winchburgh, Winchburgh, Scotland
Northern Ireland
- Bready, Tyrone, Northern Ireland
- Newtownstewart, Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Porth, Porth, either Wales/ Cornwall
