 Openreach nears million mark in copper stop sell scheme
UK’s largest telco reveals extent of progress in network transformation programme to make full-fibre network available to more than 14 million homes and businesses by the end of 2027
As it continues in its mammoth plan to move all of its customers off the public switched telephone network (PSTN) from the end of 2025 to January 2027, BT broadband division Openreach has announced a record number of 163 new exchange locations, covering more than 960,000 premises across the UK, where the business plans to halt the sale of traditional copper-based phone and broadband services to encourage people to upgrade to new digital services over a full-fibre connection.
The programme was first mooted in 2019 to encourage people to upgrade to new digital services over an ultrafast full-fibre connection. The BT-owned company believes legacy network skills and parts are increasingly difficult to come by, and new digital services such as voice over IP (VoIP), video conferencing and a whole range of apps have become more popular and effective for people communicating with one another.
By eventually retiring analogue phone lines, Openreach said it will create a simplified network that will meet the enhanced needs of an increasingly digital society. As regards the importance of the move, Openreach sees the shift from copper to fibre networks as “every bit as significant as the move from analogue to digital and black and white TV to colour.”
In practical terms, the stop sell process is triggered when a majority (75%) of premises connected to a particular BT comms exchange can get a full-fibre connection. Customers who then want to switch, upgrade or regrade their broadband or phone service will have to take a new digital service over Openreach’s full-fibre network. Customers in these exchanges not yet able to get full fibre at their premises won’t be impacted, and can stay on their existing copper-based service until full-fibre becomes available.
BT is in the process of transitioning more than 14 million traditional lines across the UK onto digital services to realise its plan on a national basis. Following the decision to shut down the PSTN, it was agreed to test processes for migrating customers to fibre services and, ultimately, withdraw legacy copper services and the wholesale line rental products that rely on them.
Openreach has already been implementing a UK-wide stop sell on sales of new analogue wholesale line rental and related broadband products. The business is giving communications providers such as BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone, which all use its network, a year’s notice that it will no longer be selling legacy analogue products and services in these circumstances.
Despite the general progress in the programme, in May 2024, BT Group revised its timetable for moving all customers off the PSTN from its original date of the end of 2025 to January 2027. The new deadline followed the introduction of a series of improvements to the programme that BT assured would better protect vulnerable customers and those with additional needs, including telecare users. BT said its revised approach will also result in a single switch for the majority of customers – both businesses and consumers, from copper to fibre.
By mid-February 2025, “stop sell” rules will have been activated in 852 exchanges – meaning more than seven million premises will be under active stop sell, around 40% of Openreach’s total 17-million full-fibre footprint.
“We’re moving to a digital world, and Openreach is helping with that transformation by rolling out ultrafast, ultra-reliable and future-proofed digital full-fibre across the UK,” said Openreach’s managed customer migrations manager, James Lilley.
“This game-changing technology will become the backbone of our economy for decades to come, supporting every aspect of our public services, businesses, industries and daily lives,” he added.
“Already, our full-fibre network is available to more than 17 million homes and businesses, with more than 5.5 million premises currently taking a service … As copper’s ability to support modern communications declines, the immediate focus is getting people onto newer, future-proofed technologies.” |
Any help as to where the article is? |
Oddo BHF starts BT with 'underperform' - price target 118 pence
Perhaps explains the weakness today. |
I'm sitting on a 40% loss and will be pushing up daisies before this shows any meaningful improvement.
Suet |
Sorry, correction BAE was 7.20 |
So many U.K. shares have doubled since Jan 2023 BT 1.15 now 1.42 For example BAE 6.00 Jan 23 now 11.94, there are many others.Yes the div at 6.4% helps, but it still does not top better shares |
What is wrong with dog of a share, market is flying, household names up 40% since December. Can't wait to get out :-( |
Report Examines Customer Take-up of Openreach vs AltNet Broadband ISPs UPDATE |
BT Group Trials 5G Network Slicing at Belfast Christmas Market
BT Group has announced the first real-world deployment of 5G Standalone network slicing capabilities over the EE mobile network, launched to support faster and more resilient mobile payments at Belfast’s Christmas Market, which took place last month.
During the two-week trial, a dedicated slice of the EE 5G network was partitioned for use in the renowned Lavery’s Beer Tent to support its eight mobile payment terminals, enabling superfast card and mobile payments for thousands of customers – even during the market’s busiest periods. It marks the first time that a business has benefitted from access to a partitioned slice from EE’s public network and live 5G Standalone core.
Network slicing uses 5G Standalone technology, which BT Group launched last September, to provide a customer with a protected ‘slice’ of the network for assured performance, boosting connectivity speeds and lowering latency by minimising congestion and unlocking bespoke capacity for businesses.
The trial successfully demonstrated the capability of network slicing to bypass congestion in busy locations and keep businesses connected through dedicated quality of service. It follows the availability of 5G standalone connectivity for BT's small business customers as part of the company’s investment in the networks of the future |
I know ADVFN trades can't be trusted but it appears there have been some constant large sells everyday for a while. |
Maybe that's why we've seen the stock under pressure. Trading update hopefully will put us back on an upward trend. |
Trading update due around first week in Feb.
Hopefully enough positive content to halt this downwards drift in the share price
Any optimistic views out there? |
ok thanks.
Suet |
Down to 4.8%
Just below the notifiable level for notifications. |
Morgan Stanley out - from 6.6%.
Had enough!
Suet |
BT prepares for 2G closure
2G services expected to be withdrawn by 2030.
BT Group has shared an update on how it will prepare for the closure of 2G. The company said its 2G network will be closed “later this decade”.
Preparations will include continuing to expand the reach of 4G and 5G networks and working closely with industry bodies, charities and Ofcom to raise awareness.
Today, 0.1 percent of all data on the entire EE mobile network is carried over 2G. However, some businesses do still use it as part of their operations, primarily to transfer small amounts of data between devices, sensors or machines.
BT said that, by reaching out to these businesses now to make them aware of how its network is changing, it hopes to “provide tailored support and technical advice so they can upgrade to a modern connection”.
Writing on a company blog post, Howard Watson, chief security and networks officer, BT Group, said, “While we will not be closing our 2G network until later this decade, the time for businesses to start preparing is now.
“We want to make sure all UK businesses understand how our network is evolving and give several years notice before any changes take effect.”
Watson added that, in the coming months, BT will contact “business customers who still use 2G in their operations to encourage and support them in making the move to a modern network”. He suggested 4G, 5G or BT’s new Internet of Things (IoT) service as upgrade possibilities.
2G is energy intensive and, as with any technology, the older it gets the less reliable and more difficult to repair it becomes. Operators in markets including the US, Australia and Europe have already switched off their 2G networks.
Kester Mann, director, CCS Insight, explained the announcement is an “important step on the journey toward a more efficient, capable, and sustainable network architecture”.
He added, “The UK has been slower than some other European markets to transition; hopefully, [this] will accelerate this important process.” |
Penalty kick |
BT tends follows in sympathy where VOD goes over time...
Why the pessimism for BT? |
Because people spend more time on internet...but the monthly price remains static...or in some cases one gets cheaper monthly price...
UK broadband traffic jumped 10% last year |
Why the pessimism for BT? |
UK broadband traffic jumped 10% last year
According to Openreach data, broadband traffic across the UK increased by 10.5% in 2024 to 103,590 Petabytes (Pb) of data. |
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