In the UK, the traditional copper landlines that have been a familiar sight above streets are being phased out in favor of Digital Voice services. By January 2027, the nationwide transition will be complete, marking the end of the old copper-wire phone network.
Following this deadline, households will shift to making calls through their broadband connections. This shift represents a significant change in UK communications, and to expedite the move away from outdated infrastructure, BT’s Openreach network is implementing its “Stop Sell” program.
Under this initiative, providers like BT, Sky, Plusnet, and TalkTalk will no longer be able to offer new copper-based broadband and phone services in affected areas. The “Stop Sell” notifications have already been in effect in various parts of the UK, and Openreach has announced further expansion, impacting around 1.69 million premises across 238 exchange locations.
Once these changes are implemented, customers seeking to upgrade, switch, or acquire new services will need to transition to full fibre broadband and digital phone services instead of relying on the legacy copper network. Openreach has clarified that the “Stop Sell” program is activated when a majority (75%) of premises in a specific exchange can access ultrafast Full Fibre, requiring customers to opt for digital services over the Full Fibre network.
By early June, the “Stop Sell” regulations will be enforced in 1,432 exchanges nationwide, affecting approximately 14.2 million properties. James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, emphasized that this program is crucial in advancing the UK towards a modern full fibre future, emphasizing the need to shift to newer, more reliable technologies as copper-based services decline.
The move to digital infrastructure will help customers and providers transition to faster and more dependable services while reducing the complexity and cost of maintaining both old and new networks. This transition is crucial as the legacy copper-based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is set to be phased out nationwide within the next eight months.
Digital Voice, BT’s advanced home phone service, operates through broadband technology, offering modern features like Multi Call, three-way calling, and call diversion to any number, including mobile phones. The call quality is expected to be significantly enhanced with Digital Voice, requiring a compatible Digital Home phone to fully utilize these features.
For most households, upgrading to Digital Voice will not change how they use their phones, as the cost of the service is integrated into a single package price that includes both Digital Voice and broadband services without any additional fees.