Home » UK ISP News Archive » Article Tag: Openreach (2834 Posts)

Articles for Category Tag - Openreach

Analogue-uk-phone-handset-on-red-background 123rf

Openreach Offers Free PSTN Migrations for Voice Only UK Phone Lines

8th May, 2026 (7 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today moved to help facilitate the closure of the old analogue phone network (PSTN/WLR) in favour of digital (IP-based) alternatives, which they’ve done by making it free for broadband and phone providers to migrate WLR Solus (i.e. voice-only lines) to MPF (fully unbundled) or SOTAP (data-only copper broadband for areas without fibre) lines.

Broadband ISP Aquiss Offer 6 Months Half Price on Openreach and CityFibre Plans

6th May, 2026 (0 Comments)

Shropshire-based independent ISP Aquiss has announced the return of its popular 6-month half-price promotion on selected full fibre broadband packages via the Openreach and CityFibre networks. But the promotion will only be available for new customers to take until 30th June 2026.

Three Copper Broadband Cable Thieves in Birmingham Jailed for 3 Years

2nd May, 2026 (7 Comments)

At the start of 2026 we reported on how West Midlands Police had arrested a gang of three men who were in the process of trying to steal Openreach’s (BT) copper UK broadband and phone cables – worth £50k – from an underground site in central Birmingham (here). Yesterday the Birmingham Crown Court jailed each one for 3 years.

engineer in manhole openreach uk fttp 2020

Openreach Near-net FTTP Trial to Reach UK Businesses Outside Build Plan UPDATE

1st May, 2026 (5 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach has announced the launch of an interesting new “Near-net” trial, which sounds like a different approach to their old FTTP on Demand (FTTPoD / FoD) broadband product. The trial aims to confirm the feasibility of building full fibre broadband to business footprint which is currently outside of build plans on a reactive basis.

Biannual April 2026 Progress Update on BT’s 10Mbps UK Broadband USO

29th April, 2026 (12 Comments)

Internet provider BT has today published the biannual (April 2026) progress update on their delivery of Ofcom’s somewhat limited 10Mbps Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband. The provider has so far helped to build a USO connection to over 9,089 premises (up from 8,553 in Oct 2025) – using FTTP, with 461 further builds in-progress (up sharply from 186).

Godshill Locals Frustrated After Removal from Gigabit Broadband Contract UPDATE

28th April, 2026 (1 Comment)

The Godshill Parish Council (GPC) in the New Forest National Park of Hampshire (England) has revealed that UK ISP Wessex Internet has “taken the decision to cancel the planned build” of a new gigabit-capable broadband network in the rural area, although there’s some confusion over the reason for this move.

Openreach Pilot Emergency UK Phone Lines for 2027 Analogue Switch-Off

27th April, 2026 (19 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today begun to inform UK broadband and phone providers about a new pilot called Emergency Voice Access (EVAc), which is intended to be a basic voice-only fallback service for copper lines (WLR) that fail to be migrated in time for the switch-off of analogue phone (PSTN / WLR) services.

BT Wholesale Set to Launch 1.8Gbps UK FTTP Broadband Later in 2026

27th April, 2026 (43 Comments)

Nearly two years have now passed since Openreach launched their current fastest consumer Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband tiers – 1.2Gbps and 1.8Gbps – into the UK market (here) and yet BT’s own wholesale division still has yet to offer the same speeds to ISPs. But ISPreview understand that this may change later in 2026.

BT Preparing to Launch Smart Hub 3 Broadband Router for UK Consumers UPDATE

24th April, 2026 (46 Comments)

Customers of BT’s residential home broadband ISP packages recently spotted that the provider’s MyBT App had begun including a new advert at the top of its home screen, which promoted a new Smart Hub 3 (SH3) router as “coming soon” and offering “Better WiFi for your home, ready for the future“. But the move has already created some confusion.

Water-leak-from-burst-pipe-UK-by-123rf-ID217538249

Botched Openreach Broadband Install Floods Pensioner’s Kent Home

17th April, 2026 (21 Comments)

Network operator Openreach (BT) has said it’s “very sorry for the distress” after one of its engineers accidentally drilled through a water pipe during the installation of a new broadband service, which flooded the house of a 93-year-old pensioner (Dylis Forsyth) in Kent (England). Ms Forsyth ended up slipping on the wet carpet the next day and badly injuring her hand.

Openreach Director Trevor Linney Wins FTTH Europe 2026 Individual Award

16th April, 2026 (0 Comments)

The Network Technology Director at UK broadband access provider Openreach (BT), Trevor Linney, has been named the winner of the FTTH Europe 2026 Individual Award, which is said to be in recognition of his “remarkable efforts in championing the advancement of FTTH technology in Europe“.

Alternative UK Broadband Networks May Have to Hike Prices to Survive

15th April, 2026 (7 Comments)

The Senior UK Plus Analyst for Point Topic, Veronica Speiser, has reportedly warned that smaller alternative broadband networks may have to raise their average revenue per user (ARPU) to approximately £45 per month just to breakeven. But most altnets are currently said to have ARPU’s of between £25 and £35, while larger operators operate within a wider range of £30 to £50.

Openreach engineers at work on rural grass verge

Openreach Take on UK Project Gigabit Broadband Contract for North Shropshire

14th April, 2026 (7 Comments)

The Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency has issued a second announcement today to confirm that the previously stalled Project Gigabit broadband roll-out contract for North Shropshire (Lot 25.02), which was originally held by Freedom Fibre until they “mutually agreed to descope the remaining 8,500 premises” in June 2025 (here), has also been taken on by Openreach (BT).

Dumfriesshire FTTP Engineer Up Pole - Openreach

Openreach Take on UK Project Gigabit Broadband Contract for West Herefordshire

14th April, 2026 (0 Comments)

In a somewhat expected development, the Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency has confirmed that the previously stalled Project Gigabit broadband roll-out contract for West Herefordshire and the Forest of Dean (Lot 15), which was originally held by FullFibre Limited until they “mutually agreed to terminate” it in May 2025 (here), has been taken on by Openreach (BT).

2024-Openreach-engineers-working-on-fibre-node

Openreach Takes on Project Gigabit Broadband Contract for Derbyshire Peak District

10th April, 2026 (4 Comments)

The Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency has today confirmed that the previously stalled Project Gigabit broadband roll-out contract for the Peak District (Lot 3.01), which was originally held by FullFibre Limited until they “mutually agreed to terminate” it in May 2025 (here), has now been picked up by Openreach (BT).

Openreach Offer Multiyear Fixed Price Rentals for 1Gbps UK Ethernet Lines

9th April, 2026 (4 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today notified UK ISPs that they’ve launched a new special offer on their 1Gbps speed Ethernet Access Direct (EAD) lines, which will give providers a fixed price rental for new provides so long as they commit to at least a 3 or 5 year minimum contract term.

Openreach Install 500,000 Green Zyxel ONTs via UK FTTP Broadband Rollout

8th April, 2026 (23 Comments)

Network kit manufacturer Zyxel has revealed that UK network operator Openreach (BT) have now installed 500,000 of their “green” Optical Network Terminals (ONT / ONU), which forms part their ongoing deployment of gigabit speed Full Fibre (FTTP) based broadband ISP technology. The new ONTs use re-engineered casings made from 95% recycled plastic.