BT's Openreach has expanded its "stop sell" programme to 112 more telephone exchange locations across the UK, bringing more than 600,000 additional premises under the rules. The move is part of the nationwide phase-out of traditional copper landlines, which will be replaced by full fibre broadband and a new calling service called Digital Voice from January 2027.
The affected areas include Glasgow, Bristol, Reading, Leicester, Guildford, Tamworth, Exmouth and Hastings. The latest expansion takes the total number of premises covered by Openreach's stop-sell programme to around 16.4 million.
How the stop-sell rules work
Stop-sell rules kick in when at least 75% of premises served by a local telephone exchange can access Full Fibre broadband. From that point, providers using Openreach's network, including BT, Sky and Vodafone, can no longer sell new copper-based broadband and phone packages in the affected areas. Customers upgrading their existing packages will also be moved away from copper and towards Full Fibre.
Digital Voice is fully powered by the web and promises clearer calls, better spam protection and the ability to divert calls to mobile phones. It is a big change, and it is not something any of us can ignore. Whether customers are ready for the switch or not, it is coming soon.
Openreach's statement on the migration
James Lilley, Openreach's Managed Customer Migrations Director, said: "Our stop sell programme is a key step in accelerating the UK's move to a full fibre future. As ageing copper networks become less able to meet modern communications needs, our focus is on helping customers move to faster, more reliable digital technologies."
He added: "Retiring legacy copper services where fibre is widely available will support the industry-wide migration to modern networks, reduce the cost and complexity of maintaining old and new infrastructure side by side, and help ensure customers are ready for the closure of the PSTN in less than four months' time, when everyone will need a digital phone service."
What is Digital Voice and how to switch
Digital Voice is BT's next-generation home phone service, using broadband rather than traditional copper telephone lines to connect calls. As well as moving calls onto a modern digital network, it offers features that are not typically available on older landlines, including Multi Call, three-way calling for conference calls and call diversion to other numbers, including mobiles.
Call quality should also improve, although customers will need a compatible Digital Home Phone to make the most of the service. There is no extra charge for Digital Voice, although customers will need a suitable broadband connection and compatible equipment. Anyone unsure whether their home is affected should contact their phone or broadband provider to find out what they need to do before the switchover.
