Openreach Extends FREE FTTP Broadband Connection Discount to UK ISPs
Network operator Openreach (BT) is preparing to introduce yet another new discount for UK ISPs and their broadband customers. This reduces the one-off connection (install) charge for New to Network (NTN) orders of Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based broadband lines to £0 (standard connections normally start at £122.84 +vat).
However, it is important to caveat the definition of New to Network (NTN), which means this applies to any property (house, flat etc.) where there has been no Openreach products and services on the relevant line at any point in the last 90 consecutive days prior to the date of an FTTP order (excluding any premises on ‘New Sites’, like new build homes etc.).
The “new” promotion is technically also an extension of a similar offer that Openreach began a few months ago and which is due to run out at the end of this month (here). Suffice to say that the latest offer is due to run between 20th January 2026 and 31st March 2026 (see briefing).
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One other caveat this time around is that the new offer now only applies to premises which are located in Area 2, as defined by Ofcom in the Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review in 2021. In other words, this will only apply to the 70% of UK premises where there is, or there is likely to be potential for, material and sustainable competition, as deemed by the regulator (the next market review has proposed to expand this to c.90%, but that’s not yet final).
As usual, the decision about whether or not to pass the related savings on will be up to each retail ISP, although many are already running free installation style offers.
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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Mmmh. Clearly targeted at Altnets and VM02 as only in that scenario would a BT Openreach line not be active in the previous 90 days. More specifically this is targeting CityFibre and those ISPs (such as Sky who use both CityFibre and Openreach) who have a choice of infrastructure provider. Where there is no choice there’s no discount.
Can’t blame them, I suppose. They’re losing 1 million lines / year to the Altnets.