Openreach (BT) has released the next January 2025 batch of 163 exchanges (Tranche 19) in 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 analogue phone and broadband products (i.e. FTTP becomes the only product option).
Currently, there are two schemes for moving away from old copper lines and services, which can sometimes cross-over. The first starts with the gradual migration of traditional analogue 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 analogue phone services began on 5th September 2023 (here).
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 time for natural customer migrations.
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Between the scrapping of analogue 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 full fibre than others). Naturally, premises that can’t yet get FTTP will continue to be served by copper-based broadband products.
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 163 exchanges announced today takes the total number of exchange upgrades that have already been notified as part of the aforementioned process (including trial exchanges), or which are actively under “stop sell” to 1,338 (up from 1,175 at the last update). The “stop sell” in the Tranche 19 areas will be introduced from 14th February 2026.
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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).
UPDATE 20th Jan 2025 @ 10:52am
Openreach sent a few more details over, which reveals that Tranche 19 reflects more than 960k premises across the UK and, by mid-February, ‘stop sell’ rules will have been activated in 852 exchanges – meaning more than 7 million premises will be under active Stop Sell (this reflects around 40% of Openreach’s total 17m full fibre footprint).
James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Manager, said:
“We’re moving to a digital world and Openreach is helping with that transformation by rolling out ultrafast, ultra-reliable, and future-proofed digital Full Fibre across the UK. This game changing technology will become the backbone of our economy for decades to come, supporting every aspect of our public services, businesses, industries and daily lives.
Already, our Full Fibre network is available to more than 17 million homes and businesses, with more than 5.5 million premises currently taking a service.
The stop sell programme is a critical part of ensuring that the UK’s communication infrastructure is ready to meet the demands of the future. Taking advantage of the progress of our Full Fibre build and encouraging people to upgrade where a majority can access our new network is the right thing to do as it makes no sense, both operationally and commercially, to keep the old copper network and our new fibre network running side-by-side. As copper’s ability to support modern communications declines, the immediate focus is getting people onto newer, future proofed technologies.”
163 Stop Sell Exchanges in Tranche 19
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Exchange Name | Exchange Location | Exchange Code |
Calthorpe (BM/CAL) | Birmingham | CMCAL |
Brentwood (BNJ) | Brentwood | EABRW |
Bulwell (BSY) | Nottingham | EMBULWE |
Erskine (GW/ERS) | Erskine | WSERS |
Horsham (HMC) | Horsham | SDHRSHM |
East Grinstead (EG) | East Grinstead | NDEGR |
Selkirk (SXJ) | Selkirk | ESSEL |
Ashford (AD) | Ashford (Ashford) | NDASF |
Truro (TO) | Truro | WWTRUR |
Horseley Fields (HYF) | Wolverhampton | CMHOR |
Stannington (XNG) | Stannington | NESGT |
St Asaph (SAF) | St Asaph | WNSA |
Sudbrooke Park (SPK) | Cherry Willingham | SLSPK |
Helmsley (HHN) | Helmsley | MYHLM |
Pontybodkin (PEH) | Leeswood | WNPBK |
Abbots Bromley (ABX) | Abbots Bromley | EMABBOT |
Cheriton (CTQ) | Folkestone | NDCHE |
Southwater (XWR) | Southwater | SDSTHWT |
Baldslow (JCK) | Hastings | NDBAL |
Beccles (BDP) | Beccles | EABEC |
Leiston (LDN) | Leiston | EALTN |
Seend (SUD) | Seend | SSSEE |
Llanidloes (LLE) | Llanidloes | WNLNS |
Honiton (HKW) | Honiton | WWHONI |
Maindee (MDE) | Newport (Newport) | SWMDE |
Hereford (HR) | Hereford | WNHR |
Settle (SFT) | Settle | MYSET |
Axminster (AX) | Axminster | WWAXMI |
Trefnant (TEU) | St Asaph | WNTRN |
Burghill (BHL) | Credenhill | WNBUR |
Barming (BGO) | Maidstone | NDBAR |
Bexhill (BLC) | Bexhill | NDBEX |
Chirk (CHN) | Chirk Bank | WNCHK |
Walney (WAL) | North Walney | LCWAL |
St Budeaux (SBX) | Plymouth | WWSBUD |
Colne (CKY) | Colne | LCCOL |
Bangor (BG) | Bangor | WNBG |
Culverhouse (CUV) | Cardiff | SWCUV |
Bacup (BAC) | Bacup | LCBAC |
Retford (RF) | Retford | SLRF |
Bridgwater (BNU) | Bridgwater | WWBWAT |
Thornley (TCN) | Wheatley Hill | NETL |
Gatley (MR/GAT) | Greater Manchester – Stockport | MRGAT |
Morriston (MLZ) | Swansea | SWMLZ |
Port Talbot (PTB) | Port Talbot | SWPTB |
Caldicot (CIT) | Cil-y-coed | SWCIT |
Briton Ferry (BPG) | Port Talbot | SWBPG |
Nefyn (NBB) | Nefyn | WNNEF |
Skewen (SKU) | Neath | SWSKU |
Burley In Wharfedale (BTP) | Burley in Wharfedale | MYBRW |
Stranraer (SXW) | Stranraer | WSSTR |
Upwey (UW) | Weymouth | STUPWEY |
Preston (PQP) | Weymouth | STPRSTN |
Brynmawr (BSE) | Brynmawr | SWBSE |
Glossop (GBB) | Glossop | MRGLO |
Cleethorpes (CJF) | Cleethorpes | SLCLS |
Ruabon (RB) | Cefn-mawr | WNRUA |
Market Weighton (MGG) | Market Weighton | MYMAR |
Ogmore Valley (OAG) | Ogmore Vale | SWOAG |
Yaxley (YY) | Peterborough | EMYXLEY |
Killingholme (KHF) | Immingham | SLKHE |
Overseal (OBR) | Linton | EMOVERS |
Hellifield (HFQ) | Hellifield | MYHLI |
Crowle (CPL) | Crowle (North Lincolnshire) | SLCPL |
Annaghmore (ANM) | Armagh | NIAE |
Fairbourne (FBN) | Fairbourne | WNFAI |
Llangoed (LGQ) | Llangoed | WNLAD |
Canewdon (ZJC) | Canewdon | EACDN |
Peterston-Super-Ely (PRU) | St Nicholas | SWPRU |
Llangarron (LUF) | Whitchurch (Herefordshire) | WNLGN |
Tanworth In Arden (TWT) | Wood End (Stratford-on-Avon) | CMTAN |
Eastoft (ETF) | Garthorpe | SLETF |
Wick (WJK) | Wick (The Vale of Glamorgan) | SWWJK |
Great Alne (GTZ) | Alcester | CMGREA |
Staunton Court (SZN) | Corse | SSSTN |
Ferryside (FBZ) | Ferryside | SWFBZ |
Peterchurch (PCU) | Peterchurch | WNPCH |
Berriew (BFM) | Berriew | WNBER |
Llanbedr (LNB) | Llanbedr | WNLBR |
Lamphey (LHY) | Freshwater East | SWLHY |
Llithfaen (LLN) | Nefyn | WNLTN |
Dinas Cross (DCP) | Dinas Cross | SWDCP |
Gargunnock (GFO) | Gargunnock | ESGAG |
Fionnphort (FNP) | Baile Mòr | WSFIO |
Kinoulton (KOL) | Kinoulton | EMKINOU |
Crawford (ZCF) | Crawford | WSCRW |
Leadhills (LRI) | Leadhills | WSLEA |
Llanuwchllyn (LXL) | Bala | WNLU |
Llanrhaeadr (LRU) | Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant | WNLRD |
Cannings (ANS) | All Cannings | SSCAN |
Thurlaston (TLQ) | Thurlaston | EMTHURL |
Bodfari (QOD) | Bodfari | WNBFI |
Crailing (ZIT) | Jedburgh | ESCRG |
Dunham On Trent (DUA) | Newton on Trent | SLDUA |
Taddington (TDG) | Buxton (High Peak) | MRTAD |
Carsington (ZRI) | Brassington | EMCARSI |
Beddgelert (BJG) | Waunfawr | WNBED |
Llandderfel (LTL) | Bala | WNLDF |
Luing (LIG) | Cullipool | WSLUI |
Whalton (WZO) | Whalton | NEWH |
New Radnor (NRV) | New Radnor | WNNR |
Broadhaven (QHV) | Broad Haven | SWQHV |
Milland (OLL) | Liphook | THMD |
Blyth (BJN) | Blyth (Bassetlaw) | SLBLY |
Benington (QQX) | Stevenage | SMBEN |
Samlesbury (SMB) | Samlesbury | LCSAM |
Camptown (ZMA) | Jedburgh | ESCAM |
Teviotdale (TVT) | Newmill | ESTEV |
Pipegate (PPA) | Woore | WNPIP |
Rousay (RSY) | Brinian | NSROU |
Jura (JU) | Craighouse | WSJUR |
Grantshouse (GRO) | Fogo | ESGRT |
Pendine (PEV) | Pendine | SWPEV |
Longformacus (LXF) | Longformacus | ESLOF |
Cappercleuch (CPZ) | Selkirk | ESCAC |
Burnsall (QBS) | Embsay | MYBNS |
West Sandwick (WXS) | West Sandwick | NSWSW |
Inversnaid (IND) | Inversnaid | ESIVS |
Townhead (TND) | Kirkcudbright | WSTOD |
Hunslet | Leeds | MYHLT |
Warrington | Warrington | LVWAR |
Mansfield | Mansfield | EMMNSFI |
Nuneaton | Nuneaton | CMNUN |
Denton Burn | Newcastle upon Tyne | NEDB |
Laisterdyke | Bradford | MYLAI |
Eckington (ECH) | Eckington | SLEK |
Mirfield | Mirfield | MYMIR |
Clowne (CNC) | Clowne | SLCL |
Glenfield | Leicester | EMGLNFI |
Sandal | Wakefield | MYSAN |
Holymoorside | Chesterfield | SLHLY |
Willenhall | Willenhall | CMWIL |
Oadby (ODY) | Leicester | EMODDBY |
Gorebridge | Gorebridge | ESGRB |
Titchfield | Fareham | SDTTCHF |
Stockton Heath | Warrington | LVSTK |
Fairmilehead | Edinburgh | ESFML |
Hemel Hempstead | Hemel Hempstead | SMHH |
Kirkham | Kirkham | LCKHA |
Bushey Heath (L/BUS) | Bushey | LWBUS |
Rothwell | Rothwell | MYROT |
Burton Latimer | Burton Latimer | EMBRLAT |
Horsley | Kilburn | EMHORSL |
Wallsend | Wallsend | NEW |
Standeford (STF) | Wolverhampton | CMSFD |
Carnforth | Carnforth | LCCAF |
Chorlton | Greater Manchester – Manchester | MRCHO |
Slaithwaite | Huddersfield | MYSLA |
Banknock | Banknock | ESBAK |
Bannockburn | Stirling | ESBAN |
Longford | Greater Manchester – Trafford | MRLON |
Westwood | Warrington | LVWTW |
Holytown | Motherwell | WSHOL |
Wigan | Greater Manchester – Wigan | LCWIG |
Stockport | Greater Manchester – Stockport | MRSTO |
Esher | Esher | LSESH |
Finchfield (FID) | Wolverhampton | CMFIN |
Staveley | Staveley | SLSY |
Denny | Denny | ESDEN |
Bonnybridge (BDG) | Bonnybridge | ESBYB |
Hoddesdon | Hoddesdon | LNHOD |
Leamore | Bloxwich | CMLEA |
Bradwell Abbey | Milton Keynes | SMBA |
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” [The] ‘FTTP Priority Exchange Stop Sell’ programme […] reflects areas where over 75% of premises are able to get full fibre lines and will thus stop selling copper based *analogue* phone and broadband products (i.e. FTTP becomes the only product option).”
I think the reference to analogue phone products is essentially redundant now – granted there are a few exemptions to the broader ‘WLR / analogue stop sell’, but I think only until the end of March this year.
I would assume the LLU firms can carry on installing analogue POTS services if they want, as it goes into their own equipment and not BT/Openreach’s PSTN switches. That’ll be restricted by the FTTP stop sell rather than the national WLR one.
I don’t believe anyone other than BT is still selling new POTS lines.
is there any where.i can search to find out if my.exchange is on the stop sell list yet?
The ‘Stop Sells Page’ linked in the article, just above the list.
Hey Mark,
When you include exchange lists like this in your posts, could you sort them by the exchange code, as this will naturally group the exchanges/towns geographically due to how Openreach has constructed the exchange code name as a meaningful key (first 2 characters seem to be a region name)
Makes it easier to scan the list for locations that may be important
The stop sells page does not have an easy way to look up the status of an exchange by entering e.g. a town name. You have to download a large number of documents, the location of which on the page is not very clear. (I think it is this link on the page: https://www.openreach.co.uk/cpportal/products/the-all-ip-programme/stopsell-updates#logged-in-accordion-content-81146133)
So, only one in the North East, and nothing in County Durham. Pathetic. Looks like I’m stuck with Vicious Media for some time….
You seem confused about what this list means.
Also confused as there are at least two. Both Denton Burn and Wallsend are most decidedly in the north East of England
Very useful but confused. We live in Burghclere 3 miles out of Newbury. We are on copper but under a government scheme with village agreement Fibre Option put a fibre optic ring around the village and we have connections box outside our houses and the ring has been connected by Open Reach to the exchange
The question to which I can’t get an answer to is why Sky, Vodafone, EE ie broadband service providers can’t connect to our homes so we can get the benefits of a fibre? Michael
Those companies possibly don’t have a wholesale agreement to use that network. Look at the network providers website to see what retail ISPs are available
Who are Fibre Option?
Under government funding rules (if the same as the voucher scheme) the fibre provider needs to allow wholesale and other access. However if Sky, TalkTalk etc. do not feel it is worth their time organising it, they won’t be reselling/wholesale over that altnets fibre infrastructure.
30 million FTTP connections out of 70 million UK population seems like a huge miss.
Such poverty of ambition.
Very ambitious to think every single person in the UK should have their very own dedicated FTTP connection.
A bit wasteful too for those great many properties inhabited by more than one person…
There’s an average of more than one person per household!
@ Lonpfrb theres not 70 million properties, around 30 million properties, hence the figures
Such poverty of maths.
So, to be clear, you think every premise should have an average of more than 2 FTTP connections?
So, once again we hear the fact that “copper” systems are to go.
What will happen to some of us who have been told that will not be able to get the fibre service. Are we going to be in a situation that we will not have any communication systems (“pnones”)?
If you can’t get FTTP yet then Openreach will NOT withdraw the old service(s).
Stop sell only is for addresses that are served by Full Fibre.
Its “no going back to copper” . You can’t go back to copper if you’ve not left it yet.
People so lucky st davids a city of 2k people is left with copper wire connections while all around it get fttp even 2 house hamlet!
There are much bigger cities than that without fibre. Have a look even at somewhere like Oxford, which is way behind the game!
Netomnia cover Oxford.
@123 not according to ThinkBroadband.
I noticed my city is in there, took a time, but what about people who for some reason or others are not allowed to have FTTP? Rented accommodation, for a start, I know a couple of people who are having problems getting permission to have Fibre.
While it was a not big hassle for me, it was still a hassle and still took longer than it should have. So if I want to go back to FTTC, I will have to decide before July when my Zzoomm contract runs out.
Why are you so obsessed with going back to old technology?
Somewhat amused to see my exchange on their when I can’t get FTTP and none of the streets around me can either, luckily I got CityFibre FTTP 3+ years ago.
In fact this is what the OR FTTP checker says “Build planned between now and Dec-2026”, so on the list for a stop sell area but possibly two years until FTTP.
Virgin media contacted me to say they are building in my area, coincidentally I have just received an email from Openreach that I am now in build plans.. they did build in my area in 2021/2022 but not on my street due to ‘complexities’. I complained and they said Q3 2025 as it was moved from 2023/24. Guess with BRSK already built and Virgin looking at building they decided to finally consider building but we shall see