Openreach Extend and Add New UK FTTP Broadband Discounts UPDATE2

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today notified Communication Providers (broadband ISPs etc.) about a further extension on some of their existing offers for Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) lines and 10Gbps Cablelink products under their Equinox incentives, while also introducing three new FTTP offers (some of which target Virgin Media areas).

Firstly, Openreach have just extended a special offer for broadband ISPs, which discounts the charge on 10Gbps Cablelinks where it is used solely for FTTP lines (i.e. a Layer 2 Switch that is not supporting FTTC services). The discount was due to expire on 30th September 2026, but the price of £962.49 will now continue until 31st March 2027.

The second offer, which gave a rental discount on the 550Mbps product for New‑to‑Network (NTN) services (i.e. normally this is £247.35 ex. VAT per year but for 12 months it could be reduced to £215.32), was also originally due to expire on the same date but will now also run until 31st March 2027. Details of both extensions can be found here.

However, it is important to caveat that NTN means a 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.

Next, Openreach will also introduce two new nationwide FTTP offers – running from 1st July 2026 to 30th June 2027, which include a “free” 2.5G Optical Network Terminal (ONT) modem Box Swap offer for bandwidth regrades (upgrades) that apply to their current fastest tier of 1.8Gbps. In addition, there’s also a new nationwide “Frontbook ARPU share offer” for FTTP lines, which is a bit more technical (details here).

Take note that the industry term Frontbook usually refers to active sales, new connections, and ongoing provisioning via modern infrastructure (e.g. FTTP and Ethernet connections). The opposite to this is Backbook, which is more likely to reflect legacy services (e.g. analogue copper lines and ADSL).

Openreach’s Frontbook ARPU Share Offer

The introduction of a non-conditional, nationwide Frontbook ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) share offer for FTTP that provides CPs with 100% ARPU share on eligible Frontbook volumes once a defined Frontbook ARPU threshold is exceeded, to be run during an offer window

• Frontbook is defined as all completed provision orders (recognised in our systems as one of the following journeys – New To Openreach Network, Acquisitions, CP to CP migrations, Subsequent Provides and same CP migrations) and bandwidth modify orders (upgrades) completed during the offer period for applicable bandwidths as set out in the price list entry.
• Offer benefits would last a minimum 24 months per order until 30 June 2029 for those completions coming in at the tail end of the offer window.
• The defined Frontbook ARPU threshold will be adjusted by CPI-1.25% (with a floor of 0%) applied annually in line with annual price reviews on FTTP and Equinox.
• Frontbook ARPU is the average revenue per user of the Frontbook circuits.

…

This applies to FTTP circuits newly provided or bandwidth modified during the offer period. Where a CP’s Frontbook ARPU exceeds the defined Frontbook ARPU threshold during the offer benefit window, i.e. a minimum of 24 months from point of connection of each eligible circuit (with annual CPI-1.25% adjustment to the threshold), CP pays no more than this defined threshold. Existing circuits that do not change speed remain subject to the standard 50% Equinox ARPU Share where applicable.

Finally, the operator has also launch another offer from 1st October 2026 for an initial 6-month period, which will provide a £50 connection rebate for all incremental New to Openreach connections in VMO2 areas above a pre-defined baseline (applied only to bandwidth options included in their Equinox FTTP discounts). But the baseline applies only to ISPs with more than 1,000 FTTP orders nationwide in April 2026 – see details.

The overall move here is designed to encourage upgrades and new connections to faster FTTP lines, although it’s important to remember that the price ISPs pay for the service at wholesale is not the same as the price consumers (you) pay at retail; this is because ISPs have to add all sorts of extra costs on top (e.g. 20% VAT, profit margins, network services / features / capacity etc.). Consumer broadband is still a very low margins business.

UPDATE 3:03pm

We’ve just had an official comment from Openreach and some added descriptions come our way, as a few of the briefings are quite jargon heavy.

James Lowther, Managing Director for Commercial, said:

“The broadband market has changed fundamentally and competition is now stronger than ever. At the same time, we’ve built a nationwide Full Fibre network more efficiently than others, so these offers are about sharing that with customers and making upgrades more attractive – at a time when many households are watching every bill. We believe competition should deliver real value and benefits for customers, and that’s exactly what these offers are designed to support.”

More detail on the offers

Frontbook ARPU cap and 2.5G ONT Box Swap offer

From 1st July 2026 Openreach will put a ceiling on what a CP pays, on average, for eligible new and upgraded fibre lines. If the CP pushes the average revenue on new and upgraded lines above £19.32 a month, their effective charge will be capped at that level. The £90 fee to swap to a 2.5G ONT will also be removed for upgrades to speeds of 1.8Gbps.

Incremental New to Openreach customer offer

From 1st October 2026, Openreach will offer CPs extra discounts on new to Openreach FTTP customer connections that go above their baseline volume levels. There are three tiers which increase the incentives, with longer discounts for stronger performance at higher tiers.

Incremental New to Openreach customer offer in Virgin Media (O2) areas

From 1st October 2026, in addition to the national Incremental New to Openreach customer offer, Openreach will give providers an extra £50 rebate for winning incremental new FTTP customers in areas where it competes with Virgin Media O2. The offer only applies to customer wins above baseline levels, so it’s designed to drive genuinely incremental new end customer wins.

UPDATE 5:31pm

We’ve had a comment from the market regulator – see consultation.

Ofcom spokesperson:

“We have been notified by Openreach of new wholesale broadband offers it intends to introduce from October. We will now consider whether any of these offers raise competition concerns requiring intervention, and to inform that process we’ll soon seek evidence from interested parties”.