Openreach to Start Exiting Next 12 UK Exchanges in Q3 2025-26
Network access provider Openreach (BT) has revealed to broadband ISPs that they will begin the next phase of their UK exchange closure programme in Q3 2025/26 (i.e. roughly this time next year), which will impact a further 12 exchanges. This follows their initial closure pilot with 3 exchanges (Deddington, Ballyclare and Kenton Road), which has nearly completed.
The operator currently has around 5,600 UK exchanges, but only c. 1,000 of those are used to provide nationwide coverage of modern “fibre broadband” based services (FTTC, FTTP etc.) – the Openreach Handover Points (OHPs). However, the rollout of full fibre (FTTP), combined with the retirement of copper lines and legacy services (ADSL, WLR etc.), will make it economically unviable to support both the old and new exchanges.
The operator thus has a long-term plan for closing the other 4,600 exchanges – known as the Exchange Exit Programme, which starts with their initial pilot of 3 exchanges (see above) and then extends to a closure of 105 “priority exchanges” by 2030 (i.e. taking place in 4 phases over the next 5 years), with the rest gradually following through the early 2030s.
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Openreach has now confirmed (credits to Thinkbroadband) that the next 12 exchanges to begin the exit process will include the following sites from Q3 2025/26. In theory, all of these sites should then reach their Network Closure point by April 2028 and be completely closed by September 2028. Openreach has in fact also revealed details of all the Phases for their initial batch of 108 exchange closures – here (Excel sheet).
Phase 1 – Exchange Exit Programme
Staines
Thames Ditton
Baynard
Wraysbury
Nazeing
Langford
Allestree Park
Beacon
Childwall
Lundin Links
Carrickfergus
Glengormley
Take note that closing an exchange and migrating affected customers is a highly complex process, which typically takes around 4-7 years (varying by the complexity of each exchange) – starting with a Stop Sell of old products and eventually ending with everything being switched off (Openreach and ISPs then remove their physical equipment over the remaining months to ultimately vacate the building).
The other phases are currently dated as follows, but these timings should perhaps be considered tentative (subject to change).
Phase 2 (Closure by April 2029)
WEWBLO Howland Street LSWAN Wandsworth CLMON Monument LNLVY Lea Valley WEWNPN North Paddington WRPIM Pimlico LWUXB Uxbridge LNEDM Edmonton EAGRA Grays Thurrock CLNEW New Cross LSWOO Woolwich NDMED Chatham WSMOT Motherwell SDWTHDN Brighton Withdean LSSUN Sunbury WMHX Headless Cross CLSOU Southwark MRBRA Bramhall SLDCN Doncaster North WRKGDN Kensington Garden
Phase 3 (Closure by April 2030)
SWPN Pontypridd CLHOL Holborn WEWMAY Mayfair LWWEM Wembley CLWAP Wapping CMMLD Midland LSPUR Purley WEWPAD Paddington ESCRA Edinburgh Craiglockhart SSLON Long Ashton LSMOG Mogador WRSKEN South Kensington CLSHO Shoreditch LWPIN Pinner LSWEY Weybridge LWSKY Skyport THAD Aldershot LNCED Crouch End LSSTR Streatham EMSOSHM Somersham LWCHI Chiswick LNSTF Stratford LSCTHM Caterham LSESH Esher LNFIN Finchley WMWR Worcester LSFARB Farnborough; Kent LSNCHM North Cheam WEWBAY Bayswater EAHTF Hertford WEWPRI Primrose Hill
Phase 4 (Closure by Dec 2030)
LVCEN Liverpool Central LSBKM Bookham THHN Headley Down EARDH Ramsden Heath CMDD Dudley; West Midlands WWSOME Somerton LVGAT Gateacre EABRI Brightlingsea EACHF Chafford LWHARR Harrow WSPRO Glasgow Provanmill NDNEI Newick SMHGN Holmer Green CMWDGT Woodgate SMLEA Leagrave WWMSMT Mawnan Smith NESU Sunderland SLHX Haxey LWHOU Hounslow MRCHI Chinley LSRIC Richmond Kew; Surrey SSSHM Shepton Mallet SDBRCKL Bracklesham Bay WWWBAY Widemouth MYRPP Ripponden EAWRI Writtle WNM Mold SSSOF Stratton On The Fosse THIP Iver LVAUG Aughton Green LSBET Betchworth SDWSWND Worthing Swandean CMKNO Knowle THBW Blackwater EMCOGEN Cogenhoe NDGUE Guestling NDOTF Otford LWCHO Chorleywood WWCHEL Chelston MYADD Addingham NDSHO Shorne LSKIN KINGSTON SSC (Taverner House)
Check out the full excel sheet, as linked earlier, for extra details on each.
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Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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Openreach are pathetic. The hardware for ultrafast fibre broadband has been in my street since January and still not switched on!
It’s a passive network. What equipment do you believe needs to be turned on?
I had 14 orders for FTTP cancelled with Sky over several weeks, Sky said they had to go through Openreach rang BT and had FTTP installed 13 days later.
Openreach on July 28 replac.my copper wire fibre without checking on Pole .since then till now I can not get Internet or phone. Can anyone help. Told sky and waiting for Openreach to return and restore my line. It’s been over 6 weeks .
FAO Malcomlm : try to verify it’s actually OpenReach fibre and not a other third party company eg Community Fibre. The wooden polls have been installed with many companies fibre “head/sockets”, something OpenReach isn’t very happy about, due to issues with the installation quality.
I have been paying premium rate for a fibre to cabinet with BT (now EE), for over 3 years now, with a a guarantee of upgrade to fibre to premises…..if Openreach ever bother to get round to connecting!!!, every time I try and find out when it will be i just get “some time in the next year.
Meanwhile, all ISP’ on City Fribre network around me are getting up to nine times the speed for much less money!
I have no complaints with EE, but they may be losing me and I suspect many others, if Openreach don’t get a move on.
You cant moan when you signed up to fttc when fttp is available with other providers. Thats on you.
The open market has given you the option of a better product at a lower price. You owe nothing to EE, they will continue to take your money for the same service if you let them.
so if you’re home isn’t covered by FTTC or FTTP and your exchange closes (admittedly very small numbers), do you just lose the service?
The exchange will not close until FTTC or FTTH can be provided
I think BT will find as way to speed up the closures as keeping these old exchanged going will become increasingly costly as it is they may end up using the kit from the closed exchanges to try to keep the remaining ones functioning as getting spares is getting increasingly difficult and expemsive
The only equipment in the exchanges that is difficult and expensive to maintain is the PSTN equipment and that gets turned off at the start of February 2027.
Yes, exchange closure will speed up (it has to – there are 4000 to get through so 100 is a small part of the goal) but I suspect that the limiting factors will be (a) engineering resource to move services such as leased lines to the exchanges that are being retained and (b) the complaints of other communications providers who may want to hang off BT’s coat tails for just a little longer.
The PSTN closes next year. These closures are of exchange buildings, not exchange switches. The switches will be long gone before the buildings are shut.
Most leased lines I would assume are already fibre
I agree Bob and I wish my building management would understand that “as getting spares is getting increasingly difficult and expemsive” insead of playing the silly game of ‘Vanity Project of Don’t drill holes and put wires – we hate wires!” saga.
With respect to leased lines, yes they are pretty much all fibre but up until recently they were being provisioned from exchanges that will eventually be closed. Those leased lines will need to be moved to exchanges that aren’t subject to closure. Given that leased lines often comes with service level agreements which potentially make interrupting them expensive, moving them can take time and detailed planning.
That is before you look at diverse redundant leased lines – a reduction in exchanges can make the provision of the necessary diversity / redundancy difficult (and retaining it might mean some cable laying).
They do not necessarily have to be moved but just diverted
For all practical purposes with respect to the end customer, the CP and Openreach, “moved” and “diverted” have the same meaning.
I have seen a similar article, about closing exchanges outright, as they are owned by a separate company. While the Letchworth Garden City exchange, which isn’t on the list above, the roof has mobile phone masts, but closure is probably on the cards, as the Fibre equipment could be placed at either Stevenage or Hitchin and the whole site redeveloped for very close to the rail station flats!