Openreach pushes ahead with programme to upgrade analogue phone network

It has outlined a further 51 exchange locations across the UK, covering around 0.51m premises, where it is planning to stop selling legacy analogue services. In these areas, it will instead provide people with full fibre services. This brings the total number of exchange locations where the company plans to stop selling analogue services in the next 12-months to 169.

In June, Openreach gave 12-months' notice that it will no longer be selling copper-based products in 118 exchange areas across the UK. The exchange in Salisbury is part of an early pilot, and legacy copper-based products will no longer be available in that location from December 2020.

Mark Logan, products director at Openreach, said, “We’re stepping up our plans to stop selling our legacy analogue services and instead focus on providing people with a modern, future proof full fibre connection that can deliver all manner of new digital services over the top. Our recently updated target to build full fibre broadband to 4.5m homes and businesses by end of March 2021 is part of our accelerated build plan and has enabled migration efforts to also be brought forward.

"Full fibre or ‘Fibre to the Premises’ technology will be available to more than 75% of homes in these 51 new locations by October 2021. It makes no sense - both operationally and commercially - to keep the old and new network running side-by-side."

The full list of additional ‘stop sell’ exchanges and associated locations are below: