Consultation: Approach to the Copper Retirement second threshold calculation - Telecoms Access Review 2026-31

Over time, customers currently using Openreach’s legacy copper-based network will migrate, either to Openreach’s fibre to the premises (FTTP) network or to rival networks.

Eventually, Openreach’s copper-based network can be decommissioned to avoid the costly running of two parallel networks. This is known as ‘copper retirement’. We want our regulation to support the retirement of Openreach’s copper-based network, while facilitating the wider objectives of this review. 

In parallel with publishing this consultation document, we have published the March 2026 Statement  in which we have decided to maintain the overall regulatory framework for copper retirement that was established in the WFTMR21. We have therefore retained our three-stage approach to moving regulation from copper-based services to full fibre on an exchange-by-exchange basis to support copper retirement.

This consultation relates to the second threshold of our copper retirement framework. The second threshold requires Openreach to provide ultrafast coverage to 100% of the premises in an exchange area, excluding any premises that Ofcom directs, and meet certain notice periods, before the charge control on copper-based services is disapplied at premises, in that exchange area, where FTTP is available. In this consultation document, we set out our proposed approach for allowing Openreach to exclude premises from the second threshold.

We are seeking stakeholders’ views on our proposal. The closing date for this consultation is 12 May 2026. We intend to publish our final decisions in Autumn 2026. calculation, and the proposed draft direction that would implement this approach.

Responding to our consultation