Openreach (BT) has today published a huge batch of 238 exchanges (Tranche 24) – covering 1.69 million premises – under their “FTTP Priority Exchange” stop sell programme, which reflects areas where over 75% of premises are able to get full fibre lines and will thus stop selling copper based legacy phone and broadband products (i.e. FTTP becomes the only product option, where it’s available).
Currently, there are two schemes for moving away from old copper lines and services, which can sometimes cross over a bit. The first starts with the gradual migration of traditional legacy voice (PSTN / WLR) services to digital all-IP technologies (e.g. SOGEA), which is due to complete by 31st January 2027 and is occurring on both copper and full fibre products (i.e. ISPs are introducing digital voice / VoIP services). The national “stop sell” on legacy phone services began on 5th September 2023 (here).
NOTE: Openreach’s full fibre currently covers over 22 million premises (60%+ of UK), and they aim to reach 25 million (80%+) by the end of 2026, followed by an ambition for up to 30m by 2030 (subject to the “right regulatory conditions“, they say).
The second “FTTP Priority Exchange” programme involves the ongoing rollout of gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) lines – using light signals via optical fibre instead of electrical signals via slow copper lines. Only after this second programme has largely completed (75%+ FTTP coverage) in an exchange area can you really start to completely switch-off copper-based products, which will come later as you have to allow lots of time for natural customer migrations.
Between the scrapping of legacy phone services, the full fibre rollout and the gradual switch away from copper lines themselves, this process will take several years in each area to complete, and the pace will vary (i.e. some areas have better coverage of Openreach’s full fibre lines than others). Just to be clear, though, premises that can’t yet get FTTP will continue to be served by copper-based broadband products.
NOTE: SOGEA (FTTC), SOTAP (ADSL2+) and SOGfast (G.fast) are all copper-based broadband-only products, where voice services can only be added as an optional digital IP / VoIP phone service (i.e. no analogue phones).
238 New Exchange Locations (Tranche 24)
In this programme, the migration process away from legacy services starts with a “no move back” policy (i.e. no going back to copper) for premises connected with FTTP, which is followed by a “stop-sell” of copper services to new customers (12-months of notice is given before this starts and that is what today’s list represents). This stage is then followed by a final “withdrawal” phase, but that comes later.
The stop sell is applied at premises level, so it shouldn’t impact you if you don’t yet have access to FTTP, although edge-case conflicts may still occur due to rare quirks of network availability. The 238 exchanges confirmed today will take the total number of exchange upgrades that, by 5th June 2026, have already been placed under active “stop sell” rules to 1,432 (equating to 14.2m premises or 61% of Openreach’s total full fibre footprint).
James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, said:
“Our stop sell programme is a vital step in accelerating the UK’s transition to a modern full fibre future. As copper’s ability to support modern communications declines, the immediate focus is getting people onto newer, future proofed technologies.
By phasing out legacy copper-based services in areas where fibre is now widely available, we’re ensuring customers and providers move onto faster, more reliable, digital infrastructure. This approach not only reduces the cost and complexity of having to maintain both old and new networks but also supports the industry-wide migration ahead of the legacy copper-based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) now just under eight months away, by which time everyone will need a digital phone line.”
The stop sell in today’s list will become effective in 12-months time.
NOTE: Openreach has around 5,600 exchanges. But hybrid fibre (FTTC, G.fast) and full fibre (FTTP) services are supplied via different exchanges (c.1,000 of that 5,600 total) and up to 4,600 will eventually close (after 2030) – see here, here, here, here and here.
The operator also has a Stop Sells Page on their website, which makes it easy to see all the planned changes. Otherwise, the following list is tentative, so changes and delays will occur (exchanges can and are often shifted around into different tranches).
238 Stop Sell Exchanges in Tranche 24
Exchange Name
Exchange Location
Farnsfield
Newark-on-Trent
Quorn
Barrow upon Soar
Sileby
Sileby
Tibshelf
Tibshelf
Layton
Blackpool
Hetton Le Hole
Hetton-le-Hole
Marton
Blackpool
Pinxton
South Normanton
Spofforth
Spofforth
Cudworth
Cudworth
New Ollerton
New Ollerton
Rottingdean
Saltdean
Castle Donington
Castle Donington
Blidworth
Rainworth
North Carlton
Carlton in Lindrick
Jarrow (JW)
Jarrow
Bilsthorpe
Bilsthorpe
Illingworth
Halifax
Strensall
Strensall
Harefield
Greater London – Hillingdon
Cosham
Portsmouth
Donnington
Telford
Ramsbottom (RAR)
Greater Manchester – Bury
Shettleston
Glasgow
Brediland
Paisley
Filton (FIO)
Filton
Dudley
Dudley (Dudley)
Cheetham
Greater Manchester – Manchester
Dinsdale
Middleton St George
Garston
Watford
New Oakley
Oakley (Fife)
Bingley
Bingley
Maltby
Maltby
Upton Park
Greater London – Newham
Markyate
Markyate
Potters Bar
Potters Bar
Churchdown
Innsworth
Pollok
Glasgow
Shawbury
Shawbury
Polmont
Polmont
Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill
Epping
Epping
Cowley
Oxford
Wembley
Greater London – Brent
Strood
Rochester
Scotstoun
Glasgow
Dunfermline
Dunfermline
Headington
Oxford
Halifax
Halifax
Parsons Green
Greater London – Hammersmith and Fulham
Haworth (HFW)
Haworth
Darwen
Darwen
Radcliffe On Trent
Nottingham
Cuckoo Oak
Telford
Newton Mearns
Newton Mearns
Farnworth (FAX)
Greater Manchester – Bolton
East Herrington
Sunderland
Earl Shilton
Earl Shilton
Atherstone (AH)
Atherstone
Winterbourne
Bristol
Braunstone
Leicester
Kenilworth
Kenilworth
Collyhurst
Greater Manchester – Manchester
Wigton
Wigton
Jedburgh
Jedburgh
Wester Hailes
Edinburgh
Langside
Glasgow
Godalming
Godalming
Norwich City
Norwich
Aberdeen Kingswells (CPO)
Westhill
Welwyn (WEP)
Welwyn
Hurley (HYU)
Atherstone
Wareham (WCG)
Wareham
Maryport (MJ)
Maryport
Cleator Moor (CJB)
Cleator Moor
Farndon (FAR)
Farndon (Cheshire West and Chester)
Mold West (MLG/WT)
Pantymwyn
Braintree (BME)
Braintree
Ridgewell (REW)
Ridgewell
Saint Osyth (SCI)
St Osyth
Moreton Morrell (MXL)
Lighthorne
Slade Green (L/SG)
Greater London – Bexley
Gravesend (GRV)
Gravesend
Repton (RCL)
Repton
Castle Douglas (CSE)
Castle Douglas
Annan (AIM)
Annan
Lanchester (LAM)
Lanchester
Cockfield (CKJ)
Cockfield
Rushyford (RYF)
Chilton (County Durham)
Epworth (EDX)
Epworth
Finningley (FGY)
Finningley
Ranskill (RKL)
Ranskill
Keadby (KKB)
Keadby
Bewdley (BFX)
Bewdley
North Berwick (NIC)
North Berwick
Walkerburn (WRE)
Walkerburn
Drymen (DGU)
Drymen
Killearn (KLN)
Killearn
Falfield (FAD)
Charfield
Coleford (CKN)
Coleford (Gloucestershire)
Bredon (BDT)
Bredon
Alton (AN)
Alton (East Hampshire)
Southwold (SOF)
Reydon
Mauchline (MNK)
Mauchline
Lochgelly (LSP)
Lochgelly
Kirkby Lonsdale (KDD)
Kirkby Lonsdale
Oakham (OK)
Oakham
Narborough (NAG)
Leicester
Wrexham North (WX/N)
Wrexham
Ruthin (RGH)
Ruthin
Tynygongl (TGQ)
Benllech
Stow (XTY)
Sturton by Stow
Barwick In Elmet (QRT)
Barwick in Elmet
Bearsted (BES)
Maidstone
Woburn Sands (WSD)
Woburn Sands
Great Barford (GBK)
Great Barford
Forth (FTT)
Forth
Tinto (SMW)
Symington
Burnopfield (BTZ)
Burnopfield
Ebchester (ESR)
Chopwell
Bedlington (BDN)
Bedlington
Dudley (DYE)
Cramlington
Corbridge (CME)
Corbridge
Tuxford (TGE)
Tuxford
West Haddon (WFS)
West Haddon
Bozeat (BQZ)
Wollaston
Machen (MAD)
Caerphilly
Swanton Morley (XEC)
Swanton Morley
Martham (MHA)
Martham
Terrington St John (TSJ)
Tilney St Lawrence
Warboys (WBZ)
Warboys
St. Michaels (SML)
St Michael’s on Wyre
Burghfield Common (QBF)
Burghfield Common
Stocksbridge (XJG)
Stocksbridge
Bishopston (QTI)
Murton (Swansea)
Glantawe (GLN)
Ystradgynlais
Crynant (ZNT)
Crynant
Pencader (PEC)
Pencader
Pembroke (PM)
Pembroke Dock
Knebworth (KEB)
Knebworth
Wilmslow (WJF)
Wilmslow
Chapel En Le Frith (CES)
Chapel-en-le-Frith
Corsham (CMK)
Corsham
Borth (BKE)
Borth
Henlade (HNL)
Creech St Michael
Hawick (HK)
Hawick
Heathfield (HJV)
Heathfield (East Sussex)
Castleham (HCA)
Hastings
Camborne (CAZ)
Camborne
Wychbold (WYG)
Wychbold
Whitby (WB)
Whitby
Needham (NK)
Needham Market
Watton Dummy (VAO)
Hutton Cranswick
Holme On Spalding Moor (HKA)
Holme-on-Spalding-Moor
Holbrook (HJW)
Holbrook
Hightown (LV/HIG)
Hightown
Caerleon (CAA)
Newport (Newport)
Cockermouth (CZ)
Cockermouth
Hebden Bridge (HHF)
Hebden Bridge
Otham (OTM)
Maidstone
Gourock (GHU)
Gourock
Folkestone (FO)
Folkestone
Harrington (HDH)
Workington
Pentyrch (PTY)
Taff’s Well
Ferndale (FBX)
Ferndale
Scartho (SCO)
Grimsby
Birchwood (BCD)
Lincoln
Corby (ZVY)
Corby
Bloxham (BJF)
Bloxham
Clydach (CJW)
Swansea
Keswick (KAP)
Keswick (Allerdale)
Nelson (NSN)
Nelson (Caerphilly)
Measham (MSM)
Measham
Ambleside (ADP)
Ambleside
Cinderford (CIN)
Cinderford
Treharris (TEZ)
Treharris
Llanfairfechan (LKU)
Llanfairfechan
Amble (ADN)
Amble
Mundesley (MUY)
Mundesley
Broseley (BOS)
Broseley
Flookburgh (FLJ)
Flookburgh
Brackley (BLO)
Brackley
Penclawdd (PBL)
Crofty
Hassocks (HSA)
Hurstpierpoint
Braithwaite (BMG)
Braithwaite
Cardigan (CG)
Cardigan
Tenbury Wells (TY)
Tenbury Wells
Waltham (WBC)
Waltham
Hexham (HZ)
Hexham
Swanage (SWK)
Swanage
Washingborough (WBO)
Washingborough
Norwich West (NC/C)
Norwich
Tiptree (TDK)
Tiptree
Leabrooks (UBK)
Alfreton
Belper (BEW)
Belper
Welwyn Garden (L/WG)
Welwyn Garden City
Mablethorpe (MBT)
Mablethorpe
Heckington (HHH)
Heckington
Stottesdon (STD)
Stottesdon
Penybont (PYT)
Crossgates
Machrie (MAT)
Auchencar
Pilling (PLL)
Stake Pool
Trefeglwys (TRS)
Caersws
Tummelbridge (TBI)
Tummel Bridge
Capel (CAP)
Holmwood
Cotheridge (CZK)
Worcester
Hanmer (HMQ)
Wrexham
Bratton Clovelly (YBC)
Bratton Clovelly
Temple (TPU)
Temple
Auchengray (AUR)
Breich
Kilcreggan (KER)
Kilcreggan
Pilning (PNG)
Severn Beach
Menmuir (MUR)
Balhall
Auchenmalg (AUM)
Auchenmalg
Buchlyvie (QOG)
Buchlyvie
Aberfoyle (AYL)
Aberfoyle
Arden (ADF)
Gartocharn
Canon Pyon (ZPN)
Wellington (County of Herefordshire)
Back (BKX)
Bac
Dalchreichart (DHR)
Glen Moriston
Craigie (ZBV)
Kilmarnock
Crosshill (CCI)
Crosshill
Latheron (LQT)
Latheronwheel
Llanfairtalhaiarn (LKT)
Llanfair Talhaiarn
Great Whittington (GWT)
Great Whittington
Hartburn (HBN)
Morpeth
Penhow (PHX)
Newport (Newport)
Nantyderry (NTD)
Penperlleni
Madderty (MZY)
St David’s
Cairngorm (CGM)
Aviemore
Plaistow (PTW)
Plaistow
Dormans Park (DPK)
Dormans Park
Llangennith (UGI)
Llangennith
Cynghordy (ZYY)
Llandovery
Hilderstone (HRE)
Stone (Stafford)
Cressage (COD)
Cressage
Cleehillstone (ZAE)
Cleehill
Dunscore (DZC)
Dunscore
