Traditional landlines to be turned off for another 1.69 million homes in UK — is YOURS on the list?

James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, said: "Our programme is a vital step in accelerating the UK’s transition to a modern, full fibre future.

"As copper’s ability to support modern communications declines, the immediate focus is getting people onto newer, future-proofed technologies.

"By phasing out legacy copper-based services in areas where fibre is now widely available, we’re ensuring customers and providers move on to faster, more reliable, digital infrastructure."

This move is known as a "stop sell" order and will be in place over the next 12 months. Openreach only implements one of these when a majority (75%) of the premises connected to a particular exchange are on next-generation full-fibre broadband.

While there's a long list of benefits to switching to a broadband-powered landline, the industry-wide move to these future-proofed phones has proven controversial.

Broadband-powered landlines use Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, to connect your calls. If you’ve ever made a call over Wi-Fi or 5G to friends or family using WhatsApp, Skype, or Messenger, then you’re already familiar with VoIP technology. It enables several new features, like the ability to call multiple people at the same time, better call quality, the ability to block numbers, and incoming spam prevention.

Plans for a UK-wide landline switch-off were first confirmed back in late 2017 by the telecom industry itself — somewhat uniquely, this is not a Government scheme or deadline.

The reason behind the shutdown stems from the ageing infrastructure, which has become expensive and difficult to maintain, and spare parts aren't even being made anymore. Thousands are still unaware of the UK landline switch-off in less than a year.

There's particular concern for older people who depend on their landlines.

Dan Skipper, Chief Executive Officer of Age UK Norwich, said: "These changes prompt many questions for residents, and a lack of awareness may create unnecessary concern or worry, particularly for older people who are not online and rely on their landline for social connection and safety."

If you're not (yet) able to get fast full-fibre broadband at your home address, you won't be impacted by this new "stop sell" order. You'll be able to continue using traditional copper-based landlines for now.

These phone lines, known as PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) in industry lingo, have served as the backbone of communication across the UK in some form or another for well over 100 years. However, those who rely on these ageing landlines are quickly becoming a minority.

Over the last decade, Openreach has rapidly expanded its full-fibre network. It now covers 21 million premises, some 60% of UK homes. And the BT-owned brand isn't finished yet — it's still bringing an extra 1 million homes online every three months or so. Openreach wants to reach 25 million premises by the end of 2026, and 30 million by 2030.

Unsure if your address has been connected yet? Openreach offers an online postcode checker to see if you can already order a Full Fibre service, or you can check by contacting your service provider.

The next 238 Openreach exchanges set to be notified for Stop Sell rules

Exchange Name

• Farnsfield
• Quorn
• Sileby
• Tibshelf
• Layton
• Hetton Le Hole
• Marton
• Pinxton
• Spofforth
• Cudworth
• New Ollerton
• Rottingdean
• Castle Donington
• Blidworth
• North Carlton
• Jarrow (JW)
• Bilsthorpe
• Illingworth
• Strensall
• Harefield
• Cosham
• Donnington
• Ramsbottom (RAR)
• Shettleston
• Brediland
• Filton (FIO)
• Dudley
• Cheetham
• Dinsdale
• Garston
• New Oakley
• Bingley
• Maltby
• Upton Park
• Markyate
• Potters Bar
• Churchdown
• Pollok
• Shawbury
• Polmont
• Brierley Hill
• Epping
• Cowley
• Wembley
• Strood
• Scotstoun
• Dunfermline
• Headington
• Halifax
• Parsons Green
• Haworth (HFW)
• Darwen
• Radcliffe On Trent
• Cuckoo Oak
• Newton Mearns
• Farnworth (FAX)
• East Herrington
• Earl Shilton
• Atherstone (AH)
• Winterbourne
• Braunstone
• Kenilworth
• Collyhurst
• Wigton
• Jedburgh
• Wester Hailes
• Langside
• Godalming
• Norwich City
• Aberdeen Kingswells (CPO)
• Welwyn (WEP)
• Hurley (HYU)
• Wareham (WCG)
• Maryport (MJ)
• Cleator Moor (CJB)
• Farndon (FAR)
• Mold West (MLG/WT)
• Braintree (BME)
• Ridgewell (REW)
• Saint Osyth (SCI)
• Moreton Morrell (MXL)
• Slade Green (L/SG)
• Gravesend (GRV)
• Repton (RCL)
• Castle Douglas (CSE)
• Annan (AIM)
• Lanchester (LAM)
• Cockfield (CKJ)
• Rushyford (RYF)
• Epworth (EDX)
• Finningley (FGY)
• Ranskill (RKL)
• Keadby (KKB)
• Bewdley (BFX)
• North Berwick (NIC)
• Walkerburn (WRE)
• Drymen (DGU)
• Killearn (KLN)
• Falfield (FAD)
• Coleford (CKN)
• Bredon (BDT)
• Alton (AN)
• Southwold (SOF)
• Mauchline (MNK)
• Lochgelly (LSP)
• Kirkby Lonsdale (KDD)
• Oakham (OK)
• Narborough (NAG)
• Wrexham North (WX/N)
• Ruthin (RGH)
• Tynygongl (TGQ)
• Stow (XTY)
• Barwick In Elmet (QRT)
• Bearsted (BES)
• Woburn Sands (WSD)
• Great Barford (GBK)
• Forth (FTT)
• Tinto (SMW)
• Burnopfield (BTZ)
• Ebchester (ESR)
• Bedlington (BDN)
• Dudley (DYE)
• Corbridge (CME)
• Tuxford (TGE)
• West Haddon (WFS)
• Bozeat (BQZ)
• Machen (MAD)
• Swanton Morley (XEC)
• Martham (MHA)
• Terrington St John (TSJ)
• Warboys (WBZ)
• St. Michaels (SML)
• Burghfield Common (QBF)
• Stocksbridge (XJG)
• Bishopston (QTI)
• Glantawe (GLN)
• Crynant (ZNT)
• Pencader (PEC)
• Pembroke (PM)
• Knebworth (KEB)
• Wilmslow (WJF)
• Chapel En Le Frith (CES)
• Corsham (CMK)
• Borth (BKE)
• Henlade (HNL)
• Hawick (HK)
• Heathfield (HJV)
• Castleham (HCA)
• Camborne (CAZ)
• Wychbold (WYG)
• Whitby (WB)
• Needham (NK)
• Watton Dummy (VAO)
• Holme On Spalding Moor (HKA)
• Holbrook (HJW)
• Hightown (LV/HIG)
• Caerleon (CAA)
• Cockermouth (CZ)
• Hebden Bridge (HHF)
• Otham (OTM)
• Gourock (GHU)
• Folkestone (FO)
• Harrington (HDH)
• Pentyrch (PTY)
• Ferndale (FBX)
• Scartho (SCO)
• Birchwood (BCD)
• Corby (ZVY)
• Bloxham (BJF)
• Clydach (CJW)
• Keswick (KAP)
• Nelson (NSN)
• Measham (MSM)
• Ambleside (ADP)
• Cinderford (CIN)
• Treharris (TEZ)
• Llanfairfechan (LKU)
• Amble (ADN)
• Mundesley (MUY)
• Broseley (BOS)
• Flookburgh (FLJ)
• Brackley (BLO)
• Penclawdd (PBL)
• Hassocks (HSA)
• Braithwaite (BMG)
• Cardigan (CG)
• Tenbury Wells (TY)
• Waltham (WBC)
• Hexham (HZ)
• Swanage (SWK)
• Washingborough (WBO)
• Norwich West (NC/C)
• Tiptree (TDK)
• Leabrooks (UBK)
• Belper (BEW)
• Welwyn Garden (L/WG)
• Mablethorpe (MBT)
• Heckington (HHH)
• Stottesdon (STD)
• Penybont (PYT)
• Machrie (MAT)
• Pilling (PLL)
• Trefeglwys (TRS)
• Tummelbridge (TBI)
• Capel (CAP)
• Cotheridge (CZK)
• Hanmer (HMQ)
• Bratton Clovelly (YBC)
• Temple (TPU)
• Auchengray (AUR)
• Kilcreggan (KER)
• Pilning (PNG)
• Menmuir (MUR)
• Auchenmalg (AUM)
• Buchlyvie (QOG)
• Aberfoyle (AYL)
• Arden (ADF)
• Canon Pyon (ZPN)
• Back (BKX)
• Dalchreichart (DHR)
• Craigie (ZBV)
• Crosshill (CCI)
• Latheron (LQT)
• Llanfairtalhaiarn (LKT)
• Great Whittington (GWT)
• Hartburn (HBN)
• Penhow (PHX)
• Nantyderry (NTD)
• Madderty (MZY)
• Cairngorm (CGM)
• Plaistow (PTW)
• Dormans Park (DPK)
• Llangennith (UGI)
• Cynghordy (ZYY)
• Hilderstone (HRE)
• Cressage (COD)
• Cleehillstone (ZAE)
• Dunscore (DZC)

Exchange Location

• Newark-on-Trent
• Barrow upon Soar
• Sileby
• Tibshelf
• Blackpool
• Hetton-le-Hole
• Blackpool
• South Normanton
• Spofforth
• Cudworth
• New Ollerton
• Saltdean
• Castle Donington
• Rainworth
• Carlton in Lindrick
• Jarrow
• Bilsthorpe
• Halifax
• Strensall
• Greater London – Hillingdon
• Portsmouth
• Telford
• Greater Manchester – Bury
• Glasgow
• Paisley
• Filton
• Dudley (Dudley)
• Greater Manchester – Manchester
• Middleton St George
• Watford
• Oakley (Fife)
• Bingley
• Maltby
• Greater London – Newham
• Markyate
• Potters Bar
• Innsworth
• Glasgow
• Shawbury
• Polmont
• Brierley Hill
• Epping
• Oxford
• Greater London – Brent
• Rochester
• Glasgow
• Dunfermline
• Oxford
• Halifax
• Greater London – Hammersmith and Fulham
• Haworth
• Darwen
• Nottingham
• Telford
• Newton Mearns
• Greater Manchester – Bolton
• Sunderland
• Earl Shilton
• Atherstone
• Bristol
• Leicester
• Kenilworth
• Greater Manchester – Manchester
• Wigton
• Jedburgh
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow
• Godalming
• Norwich
• Westhill
• Welwyn
• Atherstone
• Wareham
• Maryport
• Cleator Moor
• Farndon (Cheshire West and Chester)
• Pantymwyn
• Braintree
• Ridgewell
• St Osyth
• Lighthorne
• Greater London – Bexley
• Gravesend
• Repton
• Castle Douglas
• Annan
• Lanchester
• Cockfield
• Chilton (County Durham)
• Epworth
• Finningley
• Ranskill
• Keadby
• Bewdley
• North Berwick
• Walkerburn
• Drymen
• Killearn
• Charfield
• Coleford (Gloucestershire)
• Bredon
• Alton (East Hampshire)
• Reydon
• Mauchline
• Lochgelly
• Kirkby Lonsdale
• Oakham
• Leicester
• Wrexham
• Ruthin
• Benllech
• Sturton by Stow
• Barwick in Elmet
• Maidstone
• Woburn Sands
• Great Barford
• Forth
• Symington
• Burnopfield
• Chopwell
• Bedlington
• Cramlington
• Corbridge
• Tuxford
• West Haddon
• Wollaston
• Caerphilly
• Swanton Morley
• Martham
• Tilney St Lawrence
• Warboys
• St Michael’s on Wyre
• Burghfield Common
• Stocksbridge
• Murton (Swansea)
• Ystradgynlais
• Crynant
• Pencader
• Pembroke Dock
• Knebworth
• Wilmslow
• Chapel-en-le-Frith
• Corsham
• Borth
• Creech St Michael
• Hawick
• Heathfield (East Sussex)
• Hastings
• Camborne
• Wychbold
• Whitby
• Needham Market
• Hutton Cranswick
• Holme-on-Spalding-Moor
• Holbrook
• Hightown
• Newport (Newport)
• Cockermouth
• Hebden Bridge
• Maidstone
• Gourock
• Folkestone
• Workington
• Taff’s Well
• Ferndale
• Grimsby
• Lincoln
• Corby
• Bloxham
• Swansea
• Keswick (Allerdale)
• Nelson (Caerphilly)
• Measham
• Ambleside
• Cinderford
• Treharris
• Llanfairfechan
• Amble
• Mundesley
• Broseley
• Flookburgh
• Brackley
• Crofty
• Hurstpierpoint
• Braithwaite
• Cardigan
• Tenbury Wells
• Waltham
• Hexham
• Swanage
• Washingborough
• Norwich
• Tiptree
• Alfreton
• Belper
• Welwyn Garden City
• Mablethorpe
• Heckington
• Stottesdon
• Crossgates
• Auchencar
• Stake Pool
• Caersws
• Tummel Bridge
• Holmwood
• Worcester
• Wrexham
• Bratton Clovelly
• Temple
• Breich
• Kilcreggan
• Severn Beach
• Balhall
• Auchenmalg
• Buchlyvie
• Aberfoyle
• Gartocharn
• Wellington (County of Herefordshire)
• Bac
• Glen Moriston
• Kilmarnock
• Crosshill
• Latheronwheel
• Llanfair Talhaiarn
• Great Whittington
• Morpeth
• Newport (Newport)
• Penperlleni
• St David’s
• Aviemore
• Plaistow
• Dormans Park
• Llangennith
• Llandovery
• Stone (Stafford)
• Cressage
• Cleehill
• Dunscore