New areas are being added to the list all the time
The transition from outdated copper telephone and broadband infrastructure to faster, more dependable full fibre technology is gathering momentum across the UK. Millions have already made the switch to enhanced connectivity over the past 12 months, and now a further wave of households will be compelled to abandon copper cabling.
BT’s Openreach has just announced that 1.2 million properties will be impacted by “Stop Sell” notifications, with 132 additional locations being added to the end-of-life register.
For those unfamiliar with the term, once Stop Sell has been declared at a telephone exchange, it prohibits internet service providers using Openreach’s infrastructure – including BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone – from offering traditional copper-based telephone and broadband packages in areas where full fibre is accessible.
Anyone signing up for a new contract or renewing their current one will have to migrate to fibre broadband. Traditional landlines are also affected, as they’re gradually being withdrawn, with customers transferred to Digital Voice instead.
This service enables calls via an internet connection rather than the ageing wires still visible overhead in many streets, reports the Mirror. Whilst some elderly and vulnerable customers have expressed worries about the transition, Digital Voice provides superior call quality and extra features including spam call blocking and call diversion to mobile devices.
Openreach has reassured customers that those without access to full fibre will not be impacted. They will continue to use their existing copper-based services until fibre infrastructure arrives in their area.
James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, said: “Our stop sell programme is a vital step in accelerating the UK’s transition to a modern full fibre future. As copper’s ability to support modern communications declines, our immediate focus is getting people onto newer, future-proof technologies.
“By retiring legacy copper services where fibre is widely available, we’re helping customers and providers move to faster, more reliable digital infrastructure. This also reduces the cost and complexity of running two networks and supports the industry-wide shift ahead of the complete shutdown of the old PSTN phone network, now just over 12 months away.”
To check which services are accessible at your property, you can use the Openreach postcode checker to determine whether full fibre has been deployed in your neighbourhood.
Below is the complete list of locations newly affected by Stop Sell alerts:
York (Acomb) • Rawmarsh • Kirkby In Ashfield • Seaham • Irvine (Stanecastle) • Breaston (Draycott) • Nottingham (Chalfont Drive) • Greater Manchester – Rochdale (Middleton) • Ryton • East Leak Didcot • Edwinstowe • Blackpool (North Shore) • Birmingham (Selly Oak) • Shrewsbury (Harlescott) • Bristol (Avonmouth) • Greater London – Hillingdon (Ruislip) • Greater Manchester – Rochdale (Littleborough) • Liverpool (Larklane) • Stockton-on-Tees (Norton (XNB)).
• Greater London – Ealing (Greenford) • Rowley Regis (Blackheath) • Wombwell • Cliffe • Barnsley (Darton) • Mountsorrel (Rothley) • Greater London – Wandsworth (South Clapham) • York (Dringhouses) • Slamannan • East Calder (Midcalder) • Greater Manchester – Bolton (Daubhill) • Sunderland • Gateshead (Dunston) • Sunderland (Ryhope) • Royston.
Larkhall • Wishaw • Edinburgh (Liberton) • Gloucester (Hardwicke) • Greater London – Enfield (Edmonton) • Luton • Greater London – Lambeth (Streatham) • Leatherhead (Bookham) • Plymouth • Weston-Super-Mare (BANWELL) • Alveley (QUATT) • Crowen • Lianilar • Chatburn • Blackburn (Mellor) • Belmont • Tyrone (Benburb) • Henham • New Luce • Kirtleton (Waterbeck) • Garvald • Stobo • Lapford • Newton Mearns (Loganswell) • Tarskavaig • Dunure •.
Foxton (East Langton ) • Carrog (Glyndwr) • Tow House (Bardon Mill) • Grantham (Corby Glen) • Scarinish • Pontyates • Llandysul • Waungilwen (Velindre) • Jameston (Manorbier) • Leek (Rudyard) • Llanilar • Baslow • Sageston (Carew)• Beckingham (Saundby) • Barlestone (Market Bosworth) • Harbury • Kibworth Harcourt • Stoney Stanton (Sapcote) • Thrapston.
Wardington (Cropredy) • Wellesbourne • Broughton Astley (Sutton Elms) • Grantham • Bury St Edmunds • Hunstanton •Rayleigh • Heath and Reach • Watton at Stone • Rackheath (Salhouse) • Castor • Greater London – Havering (Romford South) • Bognor Regis (Middleton On Sea) • Bishop Auckland • Sharlston • Annfield Plain • Clayton West • Hadston (Red Row).
East Ayton • Millom • Rowlands Gill • Shap • Scarborough (Cayton Bay) • Spennymoor • Southport • Todmorden • Whitehaven • Aboyne • Dumfries • Airth • Doune • Burghead (Hopeman) • Helensburgh • Hullavington • Havant • Mount Hawke (Porthtowan) • South Zeal (Sticklepath) • Goldsithney (Germoe) • Street • Burnham-on-Sea (Brean Down) • Llansteffan • Fairford • Rossett • Trearddur • Moelfre • Pontycymer • Pyle (Kenfig Hill) • Leominster • Biddulph (Biddulph) • Burton upon Trent.
