What “stop sell” actually means
If you've heard that your local exchange is going on “stop sell”, it's natural to worry that your broadband is about to be switched off. It isn't. Stop sell is narrower than it sounds: it matters when you next try to change your service, and if nothing changes you may not notice it at all.
Openreach, which builds and maintains the network used by providers such as BT and Plusnet, uses “stop sell” to mean it stops selling certain products: the older ones that run over copper wires. In Openreach's words, that's different from withdrawal, because anyone who already has the product can keep using it until it's withdrawn. Openreach doesn't sell to you directly; your provider handles your order and service. Our guide to what Openreach is and how it works gives the bigger picture.
Three terms get mixed up a lot:
- Stop sell: certain copper products can't be newly ordered in a given place. Existing services carry on.
- Withdrawal: a later stage when the product itself is retired.
- The landline switch-off: the separate retirement of the old analogue phone network (the PSTN, or public switched telephone network). BT plans to close its PSTN, which Openreach's analogue lines rely on, on 31 January 2027. It affects calls, and is covered below.
Two sets of rules: which one covers your home
Openreach says every premises falls under one of two sets of its stop-sell rules. Those rules only govern Openreach's own products, so they matter if your line runs over the Openreach network (other networks are covered further down). Which set applies depends on where you live and whether full fibre has been built to your address.
The UK-wide stop sell on analogue phone lines
Since 5 September 2023, Openreach has stopped supplying new analogue phone lines (which it calls WLR, short for Wholesale Line Rental), and broadband that runs over them, across the UK, apart from approved exceptions (and, until 28 March 2024, places with no SOGEA or full fibre). Openreach said that customers signing a new contract, or switching, upgrading or re-grading, would be moved onto a digital line instead; ISPreview noted at the time that existing customers weren't affected unless they switched provider or package.
One group of lines sits outside this rule: “fully unbundled” lines, known as MPF, where a provider has invested to take more control over the Openreach copper line. ISPreview named TalkTalk and Sky Broadband among the providers selling them in 2023. Openreach's rules say the WLR stop sell doesn't restrict MPF, or MPF with FTTC broadband, and ISPreview reported that fully unbundled providers could technically keep selling the older products to new customers, though most had also introduced digital phone products of their own.
So most homes that can't get full fibre are now offered broadband-only copper lines: SOGEA (fibre to the street cabinet, then copper to your home, with no analogue phone service), SOGfast (the G.fast version) or, where neither full fibre nor SOGEA is available, SOTAP (older ADSL2+ broadband without a phone line). Any phone service is usually added as a digital service. Openreach still lists FTTC and G.fast as available where there's no full fibre, and still allows MPF-based lines. This rule set runs until WLR is withdrawn on 31 January 2027.
The full fibre “priority exchange” stop sell
The second rule set is the one most people mean when they talk about stop sell. It began with a trial in Salisbury from 1 December 2020 and was agreed with Ofcom and the industry: once Openreach's ultrafast coverage in an exchange area is high enough, full fibre (FTTP, fibre to the premises, where the fibre runs all the way into your home) becomes the main product there.
The important detail is that it's applied home by home, not exchange-wide. Inside a stop-sell exchange area:
- If full fibre is available to order at your address, it's the only Openreach broadband product a provider can newly order for you. Copper options such as FTTC, SOGEA, G.fast, SOGfast, SOTAP and MPF lines aren't available for new supply.
- If full fibre isn't available at your address, you're treated under the UK-wide rules above, and copper-based broadband (SOGEA, FTTC, G.fast, SOGfast and, where nothing better reaches you, SOTAP) can still be ordered.
- If full fibre arrives at your address after your exchange's stop-sell date, the stop sell applies to you straight away.
As ISPreview puts it, stop sell shouldn't affect you if you can't yet get full fibre, though rare edge cases can occur. So the first question is not “is my exchange on the list?” but “can my address order full fibre?”. Our guide on how to check full fibre availability walks through that.
How an exchange ends up on the stop-sell list
The list works by telephone exchange area. The exchange is where your area's lines connect back to the network: Openreach describes full fibre as running fibre optic cable all the way from the exchange to your home. Under Ofcom's rules (as reported by ISPreview in September 2026), Openreach can stop selling new copper lines in an exchange area once it reaches 75% full fibre coverage there and has given 12 months' notice. It publishes new exchanges quarterly, in batches called tranches, each with a start date.
Some figures give a sense of the scale (checked October 2026):
- Openreach's quarterly overview, correct on 7 August 2026, counted 1,572 exchanges already under active stop sell and 641 more notified, 2,213 in total.
- The latest list, dated 8 October 2026, added Tranche 26: 112 exchanges, all with restrictions starting on 4 November 2027. ISPreview reported that this batch covers 619,724 premises and takes the total notified (including trials) to 2,325 exchanges.
- ISPreview estimated that around 16.4 million UK premises are now covered by Openreach's stop-sell rules. Openreach's own overview uses a different measure (homes full fibre could be built to), so don't compare the two directly.
- Coming go-live dates listed by Openreach include 6 November 2026 (Tranche 22), 12 February 2027 (Tranche 23), 3 June 2027 (Tranche 24) and 20 August 2027 (Tranche 25).
Dates aren't set in stone. Openreach's list history records exchanges repeatedly moved to later tranches or to “TBD” (to be decided), including 12 moved from Tranche 22 to TBD in October 2026, and ISPreview calls the list tentative. If a date matters to a decision, check the latest version.
If you already have copper broadband or a phone line
Stop sell doesn't cut anyone off. If you have FTTC or SOGEA broadband today, it keeps working after your exchange's stop-sell date. What changes is what you can do next, because many everyday changes count as a new order. Here's how Openreach's restricted order types translate for a household (checked October 2026):
What you want to do | Where full fibre is available at your address, after stop sell |
|---|---|
Keep your current copper service exactly as it is | Allowed. Existing services keep working. |
Switch to another provider and stay on copper | Only onto a 40/10 FTTC or SOGEA service, and only if you already have an active FTTC or SOGEA service (see below). |
Change the speed of your copper broadband | Only to the 40/10 tier. |
Add broadband to a phone-only line | Not allowed. |
Restart a line that's been stopped, or take over a working line | Not allowed for copper. |
Order full fibre | Allowed. It's the one Openreach product on offer. |
Go back to copper after moving to full fibre | Not allowed. ISPreview describes this as the “no move back” policy. |
Your phone line is a separate matter: BT plans to close the analogue phone network that Openreach lines use on 31 January 2027, whatever your exchange's stop-sell status (more below).
The 40/10 exception
Openreach has one notable exception for people already on copper. Where full fibre is available and you have an active FTTC or SOGEA service, you can:
- change provider and stay on a 40/10 FTTC or SOGEA service,
- move from FTTC 40/10 to SOGEA 40/10 with the same provider, or
- change your existing FTTC or SOGEA speed to 40/10.
40/10 is one particular speed variant of these copper products. So if you're on a different copper package and want to switch without moving to full fibre, 40/10 is the only copper option open to you. Ask the provider what speeds that would give at your address, and whether they sell it to switchers at all.
If you're switching, upgrading or moving home
This is where most people first meet stop sell: the copper deal they expected isn't offered at their address.
If full fibre is available where you live and your exchange is past its stop-sell date, any new Openreach-based order will normally be for full fibre, apart from the 40/10 exception. Openreach says full fibre runs fibre all the way to your home with no copper wiring, so its performance isn't affected by your distance from a street cabinet, the problem explained in our guide to slow broadband on long lines. If your home hasn't had full fibre before, Openreach says an engineer will visit to fit a small box called an ONT (optical network terminal) that your router plugs into; it says most installations take between one and four hours. You'll also need to decide about your phone, because with full fibre a landline moves to a digital service through the router.
Our guides on what full fibre broadband is and how to upgrade to full fibre cover the practical side. You can then compare fibre broadband deals for your postcode in our comparison, which shows live deals from a range of providers.
Moving into a home in a stop-sell area
When you move in, you're placing a new order. Taking over a working copper line and restarting a stopped one are both restricted where full fibre is available, so if the property can get full fibre and the exchange is past its stop-sell date, plan on full fibre, even if the previous occupant had copper. In flats, Openreach notes that full fibre may need the landlord's or building management's permission, so check the exact property, not just the street. Our guide to sorting broadband when you move home covers timings.
When full fibre would need extra building work
Sometimes a full fibre connection needs extra building work with “excess construction charges” above a set threshold. Openreach lets a provider request a stop-sell exception where those charges apply and the provider decides not to proceed, as long as the charges haven't been accepted. Only your provider can request it, so if you're told an installation will cost extra, ask whether a copper alternative is possible.
If full fibre isn't available at your address
If your home can't order full fibre, the full fibre stop sell doesn't change your options. The UK-wide rules still apply, so you won't be sold a new analogue WLR line, but you can be offered copper-based broadband such as SOGEA or, where neither full fibre nor SOGEA reaches you, SOTAP. Openreach says fibre to the cabinet reaches 96% of the country, at up to 76Mbps download and 15Mbps upload, though your line decides what you get. If full fibre is later built to your address and your exchange is already past its stop-sell date, the full fibre stop sell applies from then.
Stop sell and the landline switch-off are not the same thing
The two are often reported together, but stop sell limits new orders, address by address, while the landline switch-off retires the old analogue phone network itself. BT plans to close its analogue network (the PSTN), which Openreach lines use, on 31 January 2027, and Openreach says traditional phone lines on its network will go digital by then, usually working through your broadband router rather than the wall socket.
GOV.UK puts it more cautiously for the country as a whole: for most customers the upgrade is expected to be complete by January 2027, but not all analogue phone services will be switched off by then, and depending on your provider you may not have to move to digital voice by that date. It also says some providers will offer people who don't use broadband an interim landline-only service that works as their landline does today until a digital option becomes available, or until 2030 if that comes sooner. If you're not sure where you stand, GOV.UK's advice is to ask your provider when it will require customers to use digital landlines. Our guide to keeping a landline without broadband covers the options.
GOV.UK says nobody should lose their landline because of this change, a “landline only” option will remain, and providers will contact customers before moving them (it warns not to confuse this with marketing). Openreach says customers who haven't moved by the deadline may get a temporary voice-only service called EVAc (Emergency Voice and Access Continuity), which keeps basic calls working for a limited time but may not support every calling feature. Our guide to the digital landline switchover covers the whole process.
A few things to check now, whatever your exchange's status:
- Power. Digital landlines need mains power. GOV.UK says Ofcom's guidance is for providers to offer at least one way to reach emergency services for at least an hour in a power cut, free to at-risk customers who depend on their landline. If that's you, tell your provider. See what happens to a digital landline in a power cut.
- Devices on the line. Openreach lists alarms, CCTV, payment terminals, telecare devices, health monitoring equipment, door entry systems and lift phones as things that may be affected, and GOV.UK adds that some devices may need upgrading, their own battery back-up or an adaptor. Check each with its supplier. Our guide to telecare and alarms on a digital landline goes into detail.
- Whether your provider offers a phone service at all. Plusnet said in April 2024 it wouldn't offer home phone after the analogue switch-off, pointing customers who want one to BT, and BT's broadband includes no calls unless you add its Digital Home Phone. If you want a landline, compare broadband and phone deals rather than broadband-only ones.
Will full fibre cost more than copper?
Prices depend on the provider, the speed and the deal at the time, so we don't quote them here. What we can tell you is how the regulator has approached it.
Ofcom regulates what Openreach can charge for its copper services. According to ISPreview's report of Ofcom's September 2026 decision:
- If full fibre isn't available at a premises, the existing cap on the price of a copper-based service stays in place.
- If the copper price cap is lifted in an area, a charge control applies to full fibre connections instead.
- Ofcom says evidence shows people can switch to full fibre and pay the same or less than for a copper connection, and it expects providers to help customers find a new deal.
Copper price controls only fall away at a later “second threshold”: currently 100% ultrafast coverage in the exchange area, 24 months after stop sell and 12 months' notice. From 1 April 2029, Openreach may exclude a fixed 10% of premises (in effect, 90% coverage), and Ofcom's current thinking is that full copper deregulation could start from 2031.
So “full fibre” doesn't automatically mean a bigger bill. Full fibre comes in a range of speeds, and a lower tier may suit you if you were happy on copper. Compare the total price including any rises during the contract, using the comparison at your postcode. If you're with BT or Plusnet already, our BT broadband deals and Plusnet broadband deals pages cover what each offers.
How to check where you stand
These steps will help you work out where you stand:
- Check your exact address on Openreach's checker. The Openreach fibre checker shows, for a postcode and address, which broadband products are available and whether full fibre is available to order, being built or planned. Openreach says availability can vary within the same street, so pick your own address, not a neighbour's.
- If full fibre isn't available, the full fibre stop sell won't change your copper options for now. You can keep your current service or order copper-based broadband such as SOGEA under the UK-wide rules.
- If full fibre is available, find out whether your exchange is under stop sell yet. Openreach publishes its exchange list as a PDF on its stop sell page for providers. The page and the PDF are technical documents written for providers rather than households, but the list itself is simple: each row gives the exchange name, location, code, the date restrictions start and the tranche. It's organised by exchange, not postcode, so if you're not sure which exchange serves your home, ask your provider.
- Ask your provider what they can offer at your address. They place the order with Openreach.
- Compare before you commit. Put your postcode into our comparison to see live deals, or browse broadband deals by area. The comparison is run with a partner; it shows deals but doesn't switch you or give personal advice.
Does stop sell affect Virgin Media and other networks?
Openreach's stop-sell rules describe which Openreach products can be ordered. They say nothing about networks run by other companies, and we haven't found an official source saying they apply elsewhere. Virgin Media runs its own network, and independent full fibre companies (often called altnets) build and run theirs, so if one reaches your home, Openreach's stop sell isn't what decides whether you can order from it. Our guides to what an altnet is and how Virgin Media's network works explain the differences, and you can browse providers in our broadband providers hub.
What happens after stop sell
Stop sell isn't the end point. ISPreview describes a three-step sequence: a “no move back” rule for homes already on full fibre, then stop sell for new orders after 12 months' notice, then a later withdrawal phase when the copper products are retired. It also reports that Openreach has around 5,600 exchanges and up to 4,600 will eventually close, after 2030. ISPreview reported on 8 October 2026 that Openreach's full fibre network covers over 24 million premises (around 70% of the UK), with an aim of 25 million by the end of 2026.
None of that means you need to act today if your service works and you're not changing anything. But next time your contract ends or you move, expect the choice to be full fibre or a limited copper option rather than like-for-like copper.
Questions to ask your provider
If you've had a letter or you're about to switch, ask:
- Is full fibre available at my exact address, and is my exchange already under stop sell?
- If I want to stay on copper, which package can you offer? Is it a 40/10 service?
- Do I need an engineer visit for full fibre, and is there any extra charge for building work?
- Does my package include a phone service, and is it digital? What support do you offer in a power cut if I rely on my landline or a telecare device?
- What will I pay each month, including any price rises during the contract?
Note what you're told and when. If it doesn't match the Openreach checker, ask the provider to recheck.
Openreach stop sell FAQs
Will my broadband be cut off when my exchange goes on stop sell?
No. Stop sell stops certain copper products being newly ordered; it doesn't switch off existing services. Openreach says anyone who already has the product can keep using it until it's withdrawn. The separate landline switch-off does affect analogue phone calls: BT plans to close the analogue network Openreach lines use on 31 January 2027, and GOV.UK says providers will contact customers before moving them to a digital line.
Can I switch provider and keep copper broadband in a stop-sell exchange?
If full fibre is available at your address, only in a limited way. Openreach's rules let you switch provider and stay on copper only onto a 40/10 FTTC or SOGEA service, and only if you already have an active FTTC or SOGEA service. If full fibre isn't available at your address, the full fibre stop sell doesn't apply to you; under the UK-wide rules you can still order copper-based broadband such as SOGEA.
I'm moving into a home in a stop-sell area. Can I order copper broadband?
If the property can order full fibre and its exchange is past the stop-sell date, usually not. Taking over a working line and restarting a stopped line are among the order types Openreach restricts there, so expect to be offered full fibre. If the property can't get full fibre, copper-based broadband such as SOGEA remains available.
How do I find out if my exchange is on Openreach's stop-sell list?
Openreach publishes a quarterly PDF list on its stop sell page for providers, showing each exchange's name, code, the date restrictions start and the tranche. It's written for providers and organised by exchange, not postcode, so ask your provider if you're not sure which exchange serves you. Check full fibre availability at your address first: stop sell only bites if you can get it.
Is stop sell the same as the landline switch-off?
No. Stop sell limits new orders of copper products, area by area, and leaves existing services working. The landline switch-off retires the old analogue phone network: BT plans to close it on 31 January 2027 for Openreach lines, though GOV.UK says not every analogue service will be switched off by then. Providers will contact customers before moving them to digital.
Does Openreach's stop sell affect Virgin Media or other full fibre networks?
Openreach's rules only describe Openreach products, and we haven't found an official source saying they apply to other networks. Virgin Media and independent full fibre companies run their own networks, so Openreach's stop sell isn't what decides whether you can order from them.
Will moving to full fibre cost more than my copper broadband?
Not necessarily. Prices depend on the provider and the speed you choose. Ofcom says evidence shows people can switch to full fibre and pay the same or less than for copper, and it expects providers to help customers find a new deal. Compare live deals at your postcode, including any price rises during the contract, before you decide.
