topic Re: What exactly does copper switch off mean? in Talk

What exactly does copper switch off mean?

AT1 — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 19:06:55 GMT

Does the 2027 "copper switch off" just apply to telephone connection and leaves existing adsl broadband working?
Or does it mean the end of ADSL connection once "switched off".
Just trying to decide whether to get fibre connection in view of all the horror stories and a rather complex home set up.

Re: What exactly does copper switch off mean?

Deb3000 — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:01:15 GMT

It should just be the old PSTN telephone service that is being switched off from January 2027. However, it may not be as simple as that.

Copper-based broadband should continue for many years to come. In fact, the replacement digital phones services can be delivered over both copper and fibre, but it's delivered as part of the broadband and not as a separate service. You mention ADSL. I don’t think a phone service can be delivered over that, so if you want to continue with a phone, it may involve a change to fibre. (But I might be wrong on that one).

Perhaps more importantly, Sky does not have the equipment in some exchanges to provide a phone service over copper, so if you want to continue with a phone service, again, it might necessitate a move to full fibre.

Then there is Openreach’s position to take into account. In some areas new copper services are already blocked, so a change of an existing copper service may require a change to fibre.

Without knowing your exact circumstances, it’s impossible to give a more precise answer.

Personally, if full fibre is available, I’d say go for it. Fibre is faster, way more stable and reliable that ADSL.

Re: What exactly does copper switch off mean?

AT1 — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:05:16 GMT

Thanks for the reply.

I already have broadband adsl and phone service over copper.

if I don't care about the phone service being decommissioned (copper switch off) then in theory am I correct, in general terms, that the broadband should continue working over the copper connection?

Re: What exactly does copper switch off mean?

TimmyBGood — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:06:27 GMT

@AT1 wrote:

Or does it mean the end of ADSL connection once "switched off".

There is a digital-only version of ADSL.

Re: What exactly does copper switch off mean?

TimmyBGood — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:08:10 GMT

@AT1 wrote:

if I don't care about the phone service being decommissioned (copper switch off) then in theory am I correct, in general terms, that the broadband should continue working over the copper connection?

Not necessarily: it appears that for Sky to continue broadband over copper they must be able to provide a digital voice service, and that's not possible everywhere.

Re: What exactly does copper switch off mean?

Chrisee — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:11:12 GMT

@AT1 are you sure your are on a ADSL connection as these days they are very rare having been replaced by VDSL?

if your connection runs sbove 30Mb/s it will be VDSL which can support a digital voice service in most cases

Full fibre is far more reliable technology but inevitably when you convert literal millions of lines some go wrong however the vast majority are 🆗

Re: What exactly does copper switch off mean?

AT1 — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:57:07 GMT

Yes apologies it's VDSL.

Re: What exactly does copper switch off mean?

Deb3000 — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 21:19:03 GMT

So, assuming Sky have the equipment in place, a digital phone service can be delivered over FTTC/VDSL copper-based broadband.