BT to retire the old analogue phone network. (title edited)

[Agentgonzo]

2027 – Retiring the old analogue phone network. By this time, everyone in the UK will be upgraded to a digital phone line – which will use the broadband network to make calls in a similar way to other Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technologies like Skype, Facetime, and Microsoft Teams; enabling HD calls, improved functionality and allowing the UK to keep pace with the rest of the world, all while continuing to provide the reliability and reassurance of the traditional landline

Analogue is not the same thing as copper. Digital is not the same as FTTP. Everyone will be upgraded to a digital phone line, whether over FTTP or over existing copper cables. Copper can carry digital phone lines.

My understanding is "Retiring the old analogue phone network" means turning off the old analogue system that was delivered over copper. But the new digital system that runs over both copper and FTTP will continue

Also bear in mind that OpenReach sells to ISPs, not to the customer. So it may be that they are not selling copper-based solutions to ISPs anymore. But ISPs still operate copper-based systems that connect to people's homes.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Analogue is not the same thing as copper. Digital is not the same as FTTP. Everyone will be upgraded to a digital phone line, whether over FTTP or over existing copper cables. Copper can carry digital phone lines.

What i don't get (obviously) is it says -

the beginning of the end for the remaining 4,600 exchanges used to support traditional copper based phone and broadband voice services

Are you saying when they close 4,600 old copper exchanges that used to support traditional copper based phone and broadband voice services and install the new 1000 super digital exchanges they will still use the copper line to your home?

This seismic shift means that today we’re able to provide fibre broadband services to the entire country from just 1,000 ‘super digital exchanges’ or Openreach Handover Points (OHPs).

Sadly, this spells the beginning of the end for the remaining 4,600 exchanges used to support traditional copper based phone and broadband voice services. And these copper customers are dwindling fast as people migrate to faster more efficient fibre

 

[Agentgonzo]

Are you saying when they move from 4,600 old copper exchanges to the new 1000 super digital exchanges they will still use the copper line to your home?

Yes. Fibre from exchange to cabinet, copper from cabinet to home.
Because there is no other option available for me (and for a large amount of the country).

My guess is that the 1000 super digital exchanges be connected (via fibre) to the cabinets. The cabinets will probably continue to be connected via copper to their existing houses.

I don't know what percentage of the country is connected to the cabinet via copper, but I would expect it is well over 50%, likely more like 80-90%. But whatever it is, can you imagine the turmoil that would happen if every house that has a copper connection would need to have the roads dug up to run new cables, and each and every house get a visit from a BT engineer to hook them up to a new fibre connection? It just isn't feasible

Openreach currently has around 5,500 UK exchanges, but only c. 1,000 of these exchanges – the Openreach Handover Points (OHPs) – are used to provide nationwide coverage of modern “fibre broadband” based services (FTTC, FTTP and G.fast).

It mentions FTTC explicitly here. And FTTC is implicitly Copper-to-the-home (otherwise it would be FTTP)

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Nice one, that's that sorted

Back to the other discussion in my OP if you can get FTTP and could use the extra speed get it now ISP's will give you a good deal to tie you in to another 18 - 24 month contract i was only half way through my FTTC contract when i moved and it only cost £2 more per month I am paying £29.95 per month.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Another big plus of FTTP that is not often discussed is you can choose where you want the ONT to be placed (as long as its close to an electric socket) the installer will put it at the location you decide if it is possible, i used to have the landline in the front room so the phone and rather large modem/router were sat on a shelf and plugged into master socket below which was on the outside facing wall now its gone it looks a lot better (less cluttered)

I now have the ONT on the outside facing wall of the kitchen similar to the set up below and an eero router (free with new package) plugged into the ONT which sits on the counter top below the socket.

ONT.