Openreach is hoping to accelerate the rate at which communications providers migrate customers to digital alternatives before legacy services are switched off in January 2027 by announcing steep price rises for four of its copper-based products and services.
From April 1 2026, rental prices for Openreach’s Wholesale Line Rental (WLR) products will increase by 20%, with a further price rise to 40% above the current level in July and then another 40% rise in October.
At the same time, Openreach is offering Communication Providers (CPs) more incentives to encourage customers to switch to digital alternatives, for example by providing them with free or discounted connections when they upgrade customers to SOGEA, an alternative service providing a digital line where full fibre is not yet available.
These pricing changes follow Openreach’s launch in October of Prove Telecare, a migration service that enables telecare users (often elderly or vulnerable people) to move to digital phone lines without losing access to life‑saving devices.
Openreach says there are currently around three million lines that need to be upgraded to digital alternatives before the deadline – with a conversion rate needed of around 47k every week. Starting on February 1, 2027, Openreach plans to move these customers to an emergency, very limited, voice-only service that is not reliant on the PSTN but which can emulate PSTN-like features to support legacy equipment.
To learn more visit http://www.openreach.com
