BT has announced that it will be closing down the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) on 31 January 2027.  As the WLR product portfolio relies on the PSTN this means that Openreach will no longer offer or support this product following the closure.   It also means that we will no longer offer or support broadband products which rely on WLR.

UK-wide WLR Stop Sell was announced for 5 September 2023.  In preparation for this milestone, we ran trials in Salisbury and Mildenhall to test the process, and have also started phasing out the sale of new copper lines (including WLR) in exchange areas where Openreach has reached 75% ultrafast coverage (FTTP Priority Exchange programme).

The term “Stop Sell” is used by Openreach to signify stopping the sale of certain Openreach products. This is different from product withdrawal, as under Stop Sell, any end customer who already has the product will be able to continue using it (until it is withdrawn).

All premises in the UK will be subject to one of the following rule sets:

1.       WLR UK Stop Sell

2.       FTTP Priority Exchange Stop Sell

WLR Stop Sell has been trialled in Mildenhall since 4 May 2021, and has been launched across the UK effective from 5 September 2023. 

The WLR Stop Sell flag has been set across all exchanges in the UK and WLR is restricted for new supply. 

What does this mean for me? 

The WLR UK Stop Sell will remain in effect until the withdrawal of WLR on 31 January 2027.  All WLR products are restricted for new supply (except where Stop Sell policy permits or exceptions apply   This also applies to any broadband product (SMPF or FTTC) provided using a WLR PSTN line.

A summary of the WLR UK Stop Sell rule set is as follows:

• The WLR UK Stop Sell rules outlined within this section are specific to premises where the FTTP Priority Exchange Stop Sell rules do not apply
• WLR comprises PSTN, ISDN2, ISDN30 and includes Classic. WLR withdrawal rules will also apply to any broadband product (SMPF, SLU SMPF or FTTC) provided with a WLR PSTN line. WLR, SMPF, SLU SMPF, FTTC including Gfast (over WLR) will not be available for new supply.  WLR modify orders to manage debt, 999 updates will be accepted
• Under the WLR UK Stop Sell policy, CPs will not be permitted to request WLR working line takeovers, addition of broadband using WLR PSTN lines (FTTC, SMPF or SLU SMPF), bandwidth modify (FTTC) or WLR start of stopped lines
• Openreach will accept FTTC orders when provided using MPF
• Openreach will reject FTTC orders when provided using WLR, other than FTTC ‘Non-bandwidth change’
• SOTAP is available across the UK for new supply where premises are not enabled for either FTTP or SOGEA (including SOGfast)
• If a premises becomes enabled for FTTP or SOGEA (including SOGfast) post Stop Sell, SOTAP will be made unavailable for new supply immediately
• The WLR Stop Sell rules do not restrict the provision of MPF, or MPF + FTTC (including Gfast), which may still be ordered
• For the small number of premises where neither FTTP nor SOGEA is available, the recommended products are SOTAP and MPF.  WLR, SMPF and SLU SMPF may still be ordered for these premises, as they are temporarily exempt from the UK WLR Stop Sell rules. This is to allow time for CPs to consume the SOTAP product (when launched). Openreach aims to remove the capability to order WLR, SMPF and SLU SMPF for these exceptional cases on 25 March 2025, after which only SOTAP and MPF may be ordered. 
• Where a CP to CP transfer of FTTC, SMPF or SLU SMPF assets is required to support a partial acquisition or merger scenario, please refer to the Stop Sell policy document below 
  

A CP which is unable to consume All IP products, may request that certain WLR with or without SMPF (single line and multiline) orders should be treated as an exception. Where an exception request is granted, Openreach will accept an order for a product on which the Stop Sell applies.

Exception requests can be submitted to Openreach using a dedicated Formwize.

For further information, please refer to the Stop Sell documents at the bottom of the page where you can download a copy of the exception process and principles.

The FTTP Priority Exchange was initially trialled at the Salisbury exchange from 1 December 2020.

It was subsequently agreed with Ofcom and industry, that in exchange areas where Openreach has reached 75% ultrafast coverage (FTTP Priority Exchange programme), FTTP would become the main available product for CPs to consume except where Stop Sell policy permits or exceptions apply.

What does this mean for me?

These rules will only apply to premises in an FTTP Priority Exchange where FTTP is available. In these instances, FTTP will be the only product you can buy.  This means WLR3 Analogue, ISDN 2, ISDN 30, SMPF, MPF, FTTC, Narrowband Line Share, Classic, Gfast, SOGfast, SOGEA and SOTAP will be unavailable.

In an FTTP Priority Exchange where FTTP isn’t available at the premises, the WLR UK Stop Sell rule set will apply. Please see WLR UK Stop Sell section below for further details.

Please note that ethernet is not impacted/restricted by FTTP Priority Exchange Stop Sell.

Openreach will provide 12 months’ notice for any exchange that will be impacted by this Stop Sell programme.  A list of up-to-date exchanges covered by this Stop Sell are shared quarterly.  If you would like to review a copy of the latest tranche exchange list, please follow the download link below for the latest version. 

If any CPs require an Excel version, please contact your Openreach migration managers via all-ip-enquiries@openreach.co.uk.

A summary of the current Stop Sell schedule is detailed below:

The following rule set will apply where FTTP is available at a premises within an FTTP Priority Exchange:

Summary of Stop Sell rule set for premises within an FTTP Priority Exchange where FTTP is available at the premises: 

• Stop Sell applies only to premises that have access to an available FTTP product, and as premises get FTTP deployed, they will come within scope of FTTP Priority Exchange Stop Sell immediately
• There will be no new supply of other products, CP transfers, working line takeovers, addition of broadband to WLR PSTN lines, bandwidth modify, start of stopped lines or migrations to non-Ultrafast products 
• If a premises does have FTTP available, Openreach will reject FTTC orders when provided using WLR, other than FTTC ‘Non-bandwidth change’
• If a premises does not have FTTP available, WLR UK Stop Sell rules will apply.
• Where a CP to CP transfer of FTTC, SMPF, SLU SMPF, SOGEA, SOGfast and Gfast assets is required to support a partial acquisition or merger scenario, please refer to the Stop Sell policy document below
• * For the small number of premises where FTTP or SOGEA is unavailable, the recommended products are SOTAP and MPF.  WLR, SMPF and SLU SMPF may still be ordered for these premises, as they are temporarily exempt from the UK WLR Stop Sell rules, this is to allow time for CPs to consume the SOTAP product. Openreach aims to remove the capability to order WLR, SMPF and SLU SMPF for these exceptional cases on 25 March 2025, after which only SOTAP and MPF may be ordered. 

40/10 Bandwidth Rule:

For premises under FTTP Priority Exchange Stop Sell rule sets, where FTTP is available to order, and where an active FTTC or SOGEA service exists, end customers can:

• Change CP and remain on a GEA-FTTC 40/10 or SOGEA 40/10 service
• Migrate existing GEA-FTTC 40/10 to SOGEA 40/10 (same CP)
• Modify the bandwidth of an existing GEA-FTTC or SOGEA product speed to 40/10

The table below illustrates these rules:

Migration to SOGEA - 0.5 Mbps, Hotsites, Uninhabitable or Temporary lines:

Where FTTP is available, and SOGEA=E in eMLC, CPs can order the following products:

• SOGEA 0.5Mbps

• SOGEA Uninhabitable 

• SOGEA Hotsites

• SOGEA Temporary

A CP who is unable to consume All IP products, may request that certain WLR (single line and multiline) or MPF orders should be treated as an exception. Where an exception request is granted, Openreach would agree to accept an order for a product on which the Stop Sell has been applied.

FTTP Excess Construction Charges (ECCs):

A Stop Sell exception may be requested for FTTP orders placed within an FTTP Priority Exchange, where FTTP ECCs are found to apply in excess of the ECC waiver threshold, and a CP no longer wants to proceed with their FTTP order (provided the ECCs have not been accepted).

In instances where a CP does not want to order a non-FTTP service, a Stop Sell exception must still be placed in order for Openreach to refund the FTTP order cancellation charge.

For further detail on the steps you will need to follow, please refer to the briefing here.

Exception requests can be submitted to Openreach using a dedicated Formwize.

For further information, please refer to the Stop Sell documents at the bottom of the page where you can download a copy of the exception process and principles.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Back to the Digital Upgrade to All IP home page