The retirement of the WLR/PSTN voice network in 2025 is getting the headlines as the switch-off moves around the regions and nations of the UK, a second programme to stop using ADSL2+ and VDSL2 is underway too, this is the FTTP Priority programme from Openreach.
There is a list of 892 exchanges in the FTTP Priority programme out of 5,500 exchanges across the UK to date, with 773 having a date set with another 101 in stasis while a date for installing just full-fibre connections is decided and 18 exchanges removed from the programme for now.
Some areas such as East Hanney saw their FTTP Priority date already happen on 1st November 2022, which means if you are live or work in a property that can get FTTP from Openreach you will not be sold a new ADSL2+ or FTTC connection but rather be sold full-fibre when installing a new connection or switching providers. East Hanney has 79% FTTP coverage by Openreach based on what we have found, for those where FTTP is not available the standard copper or partial fibre (ADSL2+ or VDSL2/FTTC) services will remain available.
Friday saw 28 new exchanges added to the FTTP Priority programme and those exchanges are currently expected to be above 75% FTTP coverage before the restriction date of November 2024 that has been given to Tranche 14.
| ExchaEnge Name | Exchange Location | thinkbroadband figures for Openreach FTTP availability 9th October 2023 (% of premises) |
|---|---|---|
| Four Oaks | Sutton Coldfield | 77.4% |
| Dysart | Kirkcaldy | 70.2% |
| Newcastle West | Newcastle upon Tyne | 72.2% |
| Biggleswade | Biggleswade | 71.6% |
| Caldy | West Kirby | 61.1% |
| Allerton | Liverpool | 40.2% |
| Eltham | Greater London – Greenwich | 72% |
| West Drayton | Greater London – Hillingdon | 74.8% |
| Sutton | Sutton (East Cambridgeshire) | 56.2% |
| Prestonpans – Port Seton | Prestonpans | 72.9% |
| Upper Largo | Upper Largo | 81.6% |
| Berwick | Berwick-upon-Tweed | 78.1% |
| Knutsford | Knutsford | 25.8% |
| Malton | Norton-on-Derwent | 69.1% |
| Stamford | Stamford | 42.5% |
| Cleish Hills | Cleish | 85.3% |
| Drumclog | Strathaven | 100% |
| Landrake | Landrake | 60.7% |
| Bickleigh | Bickleigh | 65.8% |
| Bolney | Bolney | 80% |
| Crosswell | Crymych | 80.6% |
| Abbotts Ann | Abbotts Ann | 68.2% |
| Stichill | Kelso | 87.2% |
| Burravoe | Burravoe | 0% |
| Tonbridge | Tonbridge | 74.8% |
| Tenterden | Tenterden | 77% |
| Dartmouth | Dartmouth | 80.9% |
| Staines | Staines | 75.6% |
Our maps are updating to reflect the new 28 exchanges and changes to any of the others and is currently rendering zoom level 13, but the postcode search we run to give people more information has been fully updated, and services that use our Availability API will also be reflecting the changes.
If you want more information about the FTTP Priority Programme Openreach has an information page with more detail, and while there used to be a PDF download for the exchange list this has now become a single page web archive (MHT file) and we had to chase Openreach to get a usable list to update our systems. Being OSX based for most things we’d love to hear from anyone with a Windows PC whether Microsoft Edge can render the MHT file, we have our doubts since inspection of the text shows it referring to resources outside the MHT file.
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Hi Broadband Watchers. If only Openreach had given the total customers passed it would have given a better perspective of the 28 Exchanges in the work involved
Excel opens it. 892 exchanges.
OSX Microsoft Excel does not support frames is the message
Edge doesn’t like it either. Word didn’t too (which was the other recommended app), but opening in Excel worked? Odd file format choice…
When can we expect the upgrade of exchanges only offering ADSLMax? Installed in 2006, still the only offering because there’s nothing else to choose from… 🙁
Why bother adding more exchanges when their cannot be bothered to install the existing ones on the list?
Openreach now only do drive-by installs. Overbuild where others exist, do a few easy pole installs, then leave.