The transition in the UK from old-fashioned copper phone and broadband lines to faster and more dependable full fibre technology is gaining momentum. Millions have already made the switch to this upgraded connectivity, and more households will soon have to move away from copper cables.

BT’s Openreach has confirmed that 1.2 million properties will be impacted by the “Stop Sell” alerts, with 132 new locations added to the end-of-life list. When Stop Sell is implemented at a phone exchange, internet service providers relying on Openreach’s network, such as BT, Sky, TalkTalk, and Vodafone, are prohibited from selling traditional copper-based phone and broadband services in areas where full fibre is accessible.

This means that new contracts or renewals will necessitate a switch to fibre broadband. The transition also affects traditional landlines, which are being gradually phased out in favor of Digital Voice. This service allows calls to be made over an internet connection rather than through the outdated wires still visible in many locations.

Although some older and vulnerable customers have expressed concerns about the change, Digital Voice offers improved call quality and additional features like spam call blocking and call diversion to mobile phones.

Openreach has emphasized that customers without access to full fibre yet will not be impacted. They can continue using their existing copper-based services until fibre is available in their area.

James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, highlighted the importance of the stop sell program in advancing the UK’s transition to a modern full fibre future. By retiring legacy copper services in areas with widespread fibre availability, customers and providers can shift to faster, more reliable digital infrastructure, reducing the complexity of running two networks.

To determine the services available in your area, you can use the Openreach postcode checker to see if full fibre has been rolled out. Below is the updated list of locations affected by Stop Sell alerts.