Managing the Openreach Stop Sell

by Jonathan Harris January 12, 2023 in Industry Trends, Latest News 0

As BT upgrades its Openreach network, some legacy products and services will be retired. Organizations still reliant on that technology need an alternative in place to minimize disruption. In this post, we’ll outline what’s happening, how it could affect you, and how to prepare your organization.

About the Openreach Stop Sell

‘Stop sell’ is the term used by BT Openreach, referring to them stopping the sale of certain products and services. It differs from withdrawal, as customers who already have the product will be able to continue using it – for now at least.

That said, it’s a sure-fire sign that withdrawal is coming, making it the ideal warning sign for organizations to start looking for an alternative.

With full-fibre to the premises (FTTP) planned for over 25 million sites planned by 2026, BT Openreach is starting the gradual stop sell of many legacy technologies, including:

Wholesale Line Rental (WLR)

The stop sell for WLR products and broadband based on WLR is set for September 2023. Full withdrawal is planned just over two years later in December 2025.

FTTP Priority Exchange

This refers to Openreach’s gradual exchange of copper-based services for FTTP. In short, once FTTP is available at 75% of premises in an exchange area, stop sell will be triggered for all services using legacy copper wiring.

Local Exchange Closures

Finally, Openreach is planning the full closure of all local exchanges by the early 2030s. That will start with a pilot of 5 local exchange closures in 2024, continuing with 100 in 2029/30, and finishing with the remaining 4,000 or so in the years that follow.

What do you need to do?

With stop sell imminent and withdrawal in the pipeline for many legacy Openreach products and services, now is the time to find a new solution for your phone and broadband requirements.

Aura Connect makes that easy with a flexible digital telephony solution. Because it’s not dependent on analogue, there’s no chance of anything going out of date or causing disruption. And it can integrate legacy phone systems or run hybrid to modernize Microsoft Teams with voice, putting time and choice on your side.

Most importantly, Aura will work with you to manage the transition, so you can move at your own pace and only ever pay for what you need to.

If you’d like to find out more, simply contact our team.