The nationwide transition away from the UK's ageing copper telephone network is accelerating, with a major new announcement set to impact over a million households. BT's infrastructure arm, Openreach, has confirmed the next wave of the "Stop Sell" initiative, which will ultimately see the traditional landline switched off.
What the Stop Sell Means for Your Home
Openreach has added 132 new locations to its list, meaning 1.2 million properties will now be affected by the change. The announcement was made on 20 January 2026. Once a Stop Sell is activated at a local telephone exchange, it prevents internet service providers (ISPs) that use the Openreach network from selling any new copper-based landline or broadband contracts in areas where full fibre is available.
This affects major providers including BT, Sky, TalkTalk, and Vodafone. Consequently, anyone taking out a new contract or renewing an existing one in these areas will be required to move to a fibre broadband package. This also signals the end for the traditional analogue landline, with customers being moved to Digital Voice services, which make calls over an internet connection.
Why the Change is Happening Now
The move is part of an industry-wide effort to retire the old Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), which is now just over 12 months away from complete shutdown. The copper network's ability to support modern digital communications is declining, and maintaining two parallel networks is costly and complex.
James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, commented on the update. "Our stop sell programme is a vital step in accelerating the UK’s transition to a modern full fibre future," he said. "By retiring legacy copper services where fibre is widely available, we’re helping customers and providers move to faster, more reliable digital infrastructure."
Openreach has stressed that customers who cannot yet access full fibre will not be forced to switch. They can remain on their existing copper-based services until the new technology reaches their area.
Concerns, Benefits, and How to Check
While some older and vulnerable residents have expressed concerns about the reliability of internet-based phones, Openreach highlights that Digital Voice offers clearer call quality and features like spam call blocking and call diversion to mobiles.
To check what services are available at your address and if your area is part of the new Stop Sell, you can use the official Openreach online postcode checker.
The newly affected locations span the entire UK, including areas in:
- England: York, Rawmarsh, Didcot, Birmingham, Bristol, Luton, Plymouth, Grantham, Bury St Edmunds.
- Scotland: Edinburgh, Dumfries, Irvine, Larkhall, Helensburgh.
- Wales: Llandysul, Pontycymer, Trearddur.
- Northern Ireland: Tyrone (Benburb).
This latest expansion marks a significant milestone in the UK's digital upgrade, pushing the country closer to a full-fibre future while phasing out technology that has connected homes for decades.
