Openreach, the incumbent infrastructure operator forming part of the BT Group, has announced it will add 21 new build locations adding 80,000 new homes and businesses across England and Wales to its footprint. The plans form part of Openreach’s plan to reach an additional 5 million premises in the current year (to March 2026).
“This is a UK infrastructure success story, so it makes sense for us, and the country, to push hard on the accelerator pedal. Our new network is helping to drive economic growth, create jobs, and will be the backbone of a prosperous, globally connected and competitive UK.
Last year was our biggest year of build ever – reaching well over four million homes with this life changing technology. No other builder across Europe has achieved that kind of build rate and this year will be our biggest ever.”
Clive Selley, CEO, Openreach
Openreach aims to deliver full fibre to up to 30 million premises across the UK by 2030, contingent on a “supportive economic and regulatory environment”.
New Build Locations
The 21 new exchange locations include:
- Churchdown, Innsworth, Gloucestershire
- Silverdale, Silverdale, Lancashire
- North Benfleet, Basildon, Essex
- Cheriton Bishop, Cheriton Bishop, Devon
- St. Michaels, St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire
- Belmont, Belmont, Lancashire
- Allendale, Allendale Town, Northumberland
- Great Barton, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
- Potter Heigham, Potter Heigham, Norfolk
- Woburn Sands, Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire
- Bovingdon, Bovingdon, Hertfordshire
- Brill, Brill, Buckinghamshire
- Dedham, Dedham, Essex
- Roydon, Harlow, Essex
- Stoke Ferry, Stoke Ferry, Norfolk
- Whitchurch Prees, Prees, Shropshire
- Carno, Carno, Powys
- Kempsey, Worcester, Worcestershire
- Coventry Greyfriars, Coventry, West Midlands
- Rowstock, Didcot, Oxfordshire
- Sutton Courtenay, Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire
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Very boring tiny 21 exchanges roll out!
More likely the rest of us are now waiting until 2030!
I am wondering what this will actually mean on the ground..I am a subscriber to the Woburn Sands “exchange” mentioned above.
Some parts of some streets already have OR full fibre, most of the rest of us put up with VDSL at up to 1 km distance from the cabinet. Gigaclear is also available in some parts of some streets. Cityfibre manholes have appeared but nothing more.
Will OR be providing full fibre to all now or…?