Another step in the shift from a copper world to a full-fibre local loop has happened today with Openreach issuing details of 46 exchanges which cover 344,931 premises that have been added to the FTTP Priority programme. This is the 15th set of exchanges to be added to the FTTP Priority list.
For those not aware the FTTP Priority programme is all about shifting people to Openreach full-fibre from older copper and part-fibre solutions. For each exchange a date is set and if the Openreach full-fibre coverage of an exchange is over 75% by that date then the FTTP Priority process kicks in – put simply if you can get Openreach FTTP and you put in a migration order, or activate a new service Openreach will try to deliver the service over their full-fibre. Thus driving take-up in areas, and eventually in many more years the copper infrastructure being switched off in an area.
If your address is not able to get Openreach full-fibre then the FTTP Priority programme and the stop sell of certain products does not apply to you.
The full list is some 920 exchanges long and we do map these along with the relevant stop sell dates on our maps The postcode search is also aware of the FTTP Priority programme. For standard comparison listings that are driven by our Broadband API this will mask the ADSL2+/FTTC services once the stop-sell is in effect and Openreach FTTP is available.
There is an Openreach page that gives uses the Openreach explanations. We are waiting on a copy of the excel spreadsheet to update our maps and process any restriction date changes, since the MHT file the page links to simply refuses to work in any web browser or Microsoft Word. The failure of the MHT appears to be down to it referring resources on the C: drive of some computer in Openreach towers. In theory in an end of the world scenario and also unlimited time we can manually extract info from the file, but with 920 exchanges to check we will wait for a copy of the Excel spreadsheet the MHT is based upon. Update 1:15pm Have fired up a Windows PC and am having the same failures using Microsoft Edge even when opening the file in IE Mode.
Update 2pm We have been furnished with a copy of the excel spreadsheet and have updated the stop sell information and an update is underway for the map page.
| Exchange Name | Exchange Location | Current % of premises with Openreach FTTP availability source:thinkbroadband.com 12th January 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Rawcliffe | Rawcliffe | 64.44% |
| Hanley Swan | Hanley Swan | 50.35% |
| Malpas | Malpas | 74.39% |
| Aberaeron | Aberaeron | 75.09% |
| Stonehaven | Stonehaven | 77.55% |
| Cupar | Cupar | 73.61% |
| Healing | Grimsby | 74.22% |
| Evesham | Evesham | 50.81% |
| Ingrebourne | Greater London – Havering | 69.93% |
| Shurdington | Shurdington | 61.15% |
| Berkswell | Balsall Common | 72.88% |
| Kimberley | Kimberley | 77.40% |
| Platt Bridge | Greater Manchester – Wigan | 72.00% |
| Heswall | Heswall | 58.88% |
| Kirby Muxloe | Leicester | 67.74% |
| Great Harwood | Great Harwood | 46.32% |
| Livingston Station | Livingston | 78.49% |
| Leigh On Sea | Southend-on-Sea | 64.85% |
| Saint Barnabas | Leicester | 68.97% |
| Gillingham | Gillingham (Kent) | 75.13% |
| Sharrow | Sheffield | 75.49% |
| Fareham | Fareham | 71.68% |
| Hinckley | Hinckley | 69.91% |
| Chelmsford | Chelmsford | 81.17% |
| Kingsbridge | Kingsbridge | 79.19% |
| Trumpington | Cambridge | 72.11% |
| Maldon | Maldon | 76.98% |
| Chingford | Greater London – Waltham Forest | 72.27% |
| Strangford | Downpatrick | 61.58% |
| Stoneyford | Lisburn | 61.32% |
| Martinstown | Martinstown | 62.73% |
| Seaforde | Downpatrick | 64.84% |
| Baillies Mills | Lisburn | 58.75% |
| Broughshane | Ballymena | 75.31% |
| Kells | Ballymena | 69.60% |
| Crossgar | Downpatrick | 74.13% |
| Ettrick Valley | Ettrickbridge | 100% |
| Balmaha | Drymen | 77% |
| Lismore | Achnacroish | 100% |
| Roxburgh | Roxburgh | 84.62% |
| Graffham | Graffham | 73.96% |
| Brightling | Battle | 81.35% |
| Owslebury | Owslebury | 77.69% |
| Badminton | Acton Turville | 46.59% |
| Rotherby | Frisby on the Wreake | 60.08% |
| Bury | Amberley | 84.41% |
The percentages are based on our analysis from 12th January 2024, and since that date we’ve seen the Openreach full-fibre footprint increase by some 95,000 premises such is the pace of the FTTP roll-out.
Correction 6pm: Typed 48 rather than 46 exchanges, have double-checked the list now and its definitely 46.
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There only appear to be 46, not 48, new exchanges in this batch.
In addition there are a number of changes to previous announcements:
LVELL, EMALVAS, NDBGR ,LSSID, LWKLAN, SMLSN, MYMIL, SMRDB, EMSOSHM, LCWIL, LCCHO, LCHET, ESDON, LNLOU – now Tranche 12
SWGC – now Tranche 13
EMDUSTO, NIPE, SWSKJ, LNTHB, ESMOR – now TBD
I’ve found an online viewer which will render the data from the Openreach web site – https://products.aspose.app/cells/viewer/mht
It is almost as though this particular .mht file format contains Excel-specific data and doesn’t render at all in Edge / IE or other browsers.
That MHT viewer is not showing the exchange list, I see no way why someone should release data in a format that is so difficult to view, or as I suspect is using local linked info, so anyone outside Openreach cannot view it.
On the changes to existing exchanges, yes seen, hence why we chase for the updated doc so the look ups work
https://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/postcode-search
icon-exchange LOUGHTON LNLOU
Ofcom Market B
Stop Sell Date for Copper: 04-Jun-24
Analogue Switch Off Tranche: Tranche 12
The MHT format smacks of being something someone figured out years ago just about worked (maybe a more technical intern or contractor) when they first started publishing this info and no one internally is technical enough to understand its no good anymore (lets face it they will be planners not IT doing this).