Major broadband network is shutting down long-running service in more than 160 locations across the UK
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OPENREACH will soon stop the sale of traditional copper-based phone and broadband services in another 165 locations across the UK. The move will affect BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone networks, and forms part of a countrywide shift to faster full-fibre services.
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The telecoms company, which is owned by BT, has given internet providers a year to stop selling older, copper-based services to new and existing customers. Customers in the new 165 locations, from Truro to Baile Mòr, will have to switch to full-fibre plans from 14 February 2026.
These areas are just the latest to have received a "stop sell" order from Openreach, and join hundreds of other villages, towns and cities up and down the UK. By mid-February, Openreach's "stop sell" rule will have been activated in 852 areas, affecting more than seven million homes and businesses relying on copper cables.
Full-fibre broadband and phone cables are much faster, and require less boosting than copper ones do. Roughly 20.7million UK homes now use full-fibre broadband, according to Ofcom's 2024 report. Openreach supplies full-fibre to about 17million of those.
The faster, full-fibre will reach more than 75 per cent of homes and businesses in these new locations. Where full-fibre is not available, broadband customers can remain on their existing copper-based plan. Openreach executive James Lilley said in a statement that the ability of copper cables to "support modern communications" is declining.
