No fibre in our area how will sky deliver broadband ?

[Soundman56]

Sky has informed me that the will be switching off broadband over copper and we don't have fibre in our area and probably never will. How will they deliver broadband and tv to us after the switch off? 

[TimmyBGood]

@Soundman56 

I suspect something has got confused: broadband and voice service over a metallic circuit cannot be ceased until there's a viable alternative.  To do so would be a breach of the Universal Service Obligation which is enacted in UK law and enforced by Ofcom.

Sky, like all ISPs on the national Openreach network is currently pushing towards the end of PSTN voice provision (scheduled for January 2027) but that's different: in the absence of optical fibre the copper network will be a bearer of digital data and voice service for years to come.

[Soundman56]

I'm not confused. Sky emailed me to let me know that they will be ceasing to supply tv, landline & broadband over copper in August 2026 & I simply asked how they will then supply my tv content, broadband and landline when it's very doubtful that I'll ever get fibre up the hill I live on.  

[TimmyBGood]

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@Soundman56 wrote:

Sky emailed me to let me know that they will be ceasing to supply tv, landline & broadband over copper in August 2026 

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That's not what they are saying, but the messaging is distinctly confusing.

" Openreach, the company that owns some of the UK broadband network, and Sky, are switching off the old copper cable network (ADSL and FTTC) and traditional phone landlines in the UK. This means there might be changes to the broadband connection and telephone line in your area.

They're upgrading to faster, more reliable Full Fibre (FTTP) technology, or Part Fibre (SoGEA) if that's not available. "

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/upcoming-changes-to-your-sky-broadband-and-talk-service 

The really important thing which they aren't making clear is that 'Part Fibre (SoGEA)' is FTTC without analogue voice service, so everyone currently on FTTC broadband continues as before except with phone calls running through the Hub if they aren't already. 

There's even a (temporary) 'digital voice' solution for the tiny percentage of properties still on ADSL: as I said, telcos are not permitted to withdraw service unless there's a replacement.  Putting out emails or publishing web pages stating that they 'are switching off the old copper cable network' is frankly irresponsible (and just plain incorrect) because metallic circuits are going to be in use as data bearers to some properties for years to come.

I'll raise this on the Superuser forum with our Sky staff contacts, because you aren't the only person to have been caused unnecessary concern by badly worded information.

[Soundman56]

Thanks Timmy

[Threadbear67]

I've received a similar email, which includes:

"Your current copper network — will be switched off from August 2026. To stay connected, you'll need to move to a Sky Broadband and Talk service on the new technology.

...your new package must offer Internet calls i.e. Full Fibre to be unaffected by the network changes...

...If we don't hear from you, your broadband will be disconnected from August 2026 and you will lose the ability to make and receive calls on your landline, including to emergency services. You may also lose your phone number...

...We won’t be able to move you the new technology at this time..."

This seems to be saying my current connection will cease in August 2026 and there isn't an alternative option with Sky (presumably as we aren't in a full fibre area)?  

[TimmyBGood]

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@Threadbear67 wrote:

Your current copper network — will be switched off from August 2026. To stay connected, you'll need to move to a Sky Broadband and Talk service on the new technology.

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I've asked our Sky staff contacts if they can provide some clarity.  As far as I can tell Sky is using language that liberally mixes up the deadline for national PSTN switch-off (end of January 2027) with the ongoing migration from copper to optical circuits, which just aren't the same thing (and 'August 2026' appears to be plucked from thin air)

However in an extremely small percentage of exchange areas there has been or is going to be an actual removal of broadband service over copper, which risks confusing things further, and it's absolutely not supposed to happen if residents would loose access to internet or voice calls.

[TimmyBGood]

For information, the next twelve 'Exchange Exit' areas (after Deddington, Ballyclare and Kenton Road) are:

Staines

Thames Ditton

Baynard

Wraysbury

Nazeing

Langford

Allestree Park

Beacon

Childwall

Lundin Links

Carrickfergus

Glengormley

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2025/09/openreach-to-start-exiting-next-12-uk-exchanges-in-q3-... 

[Chodley]

Out of interest, where does the fibre go if it's not to the old exchanges?

Also, massive opportunity for a "crossed wires" joke missed above 😁

[TimmyBGood]

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@Chodley wrote:

Out of interest, where does the fibre go if it's not to the old exchanges?

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A large majority of roughly 5,600 historic exchange locations aren't involved in national FTTP topology: they were the key to ADSL and FTTC (and obviously before then for the copper voice network switchgear and wiring looms) but as the ISPreview article indicates 4/5ths are eventually going to become redundant and potentially very valuable real-estate.

[Chodley]

Yeah but, where does it go instead? I assume there must be some kind of hub it all connects into?

I could google this of course 🤣

[Simewiz]

Thank you for all your replies in this thread. I, like others, have had the email saying my current broadband service will be switched off in August 2026. I live in a rented aparment in an apartment building so I am not free to simply change to fibre.

I read this thread and was somewhat comforted; however, I've just had a twenty minute conversation with a lady on the Sky helpdesk, and she has made it crystal clear that *both* voice and data would be switched off in August. I asked her what would happen if I had not been able to switch to fibre by then, and the answer was absolutely unambiguous: "You will lose your phone *and* your data. You will also lose your landline phone number." When I asked what my options were, she told me I would then have to consider things like mobile 5G broadband or Skylink. I asked her how it could be that a phone/broadband provider could be legally allowed to simply switch off someone's service, and she just repeated the same stuff about it being national, all broadband providers, etc.

So whilst hopefully the landlord *will* give permission for this to be installed, since it's not a *legal* obligation I can't absolutely guarantee that, and since I must have a plan B, that would have to be mobile 5G (not provided by Sky, who would of course then lose a customer).

I find the whole situation extraordinary, and I can't understand why, if this is a national change mandated by the government, there is no *legal* obligation on landlords to allow this. Commercially it would certainly be in the landlord's interest to do this, but they certainly don't have to allow it before the exchange switches off the copper service.

All extremely unclear and unsatisfactory.

[Chrisee]

@Chodley In the later FTTC rollouts the fibre cabinets were connected to a different exchange location from where yhe copper network went. As we understand it this switch only affects customersxwhose exchange where Sky did not havectheir own equipment (LLU) so were using a non-Sky backhaul.

[Chrisee]

@Simewiz actually there are potentially other solutions to mobile or Starlink.

After some questioning we have neen told this only affects Sky customers on exchanges where Sky have no got their own equipment which is only a small number as the majority of locations Sky have what is called LLU kit (local loop unbundling) You should be able to order FTTC from any BT subsiduary like EE or Plusnet or any ISP using their wholesale network.. I would use a comparison site to check your options.

The full ssitch off of FTTC is some years off and indeed at yhst point some right for tenants maybe required but in oracticecfir many rdnterscmobike broadband is a better option.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Simewiz wrote:

I can't understand why, if this is a national change mandated by the government, there is no *legal* obligation on landlords to allow this. 

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Probably because the end of PSTN and the move from copper to fibre are proceeding under existing Ofcom powers as a regulator, but changing the responsibility of landlords would require primary legislation to go through Parliament.

The Universal Service Obligation provider of broadband and telephony is BT (and KCOM in their very limited jurisdiction)