What the Copper Switch Off means for your home (and your internet)
There’s a drastic change in store for some parts of the UK this year, in the form of the Copper Switch Off. But of course, where one thing ends, another begins.
Here’s what the change means for you, and the answers to the questions you might be asking.
What is the Copper Switch Off?
This year Openreach – the body that owns and maintains the phone and internet cables across most of the UK – will be stepping up the rollout of their Copper Switch Off.
As the name suggests, this will see the old copper-based internet and phone networks being switched off. Some of these cables are decades old and so aren’t suitable for modern internet needs.
The fibre optic cables they’re being replaced with will offer faster and more reliable broadband.
They’re doing this town by town across the UK, so you’re likely to see the copper network in your town switched off at some point (if it hasn’t been already).
How does it affect me?
Nearly all internet providers in the UK use the Openreach network, including BT, Sky, Vodafone and TalkTalk. If you’re with one of these providers you’ll need to move onto a new broadband contract when the Copper Switch Off comes to your town.
But your new contract doesn’t have to be with your current provider. You might find a better deal and a more reliable service if you look elsewhere.
What can I do to get ready for the Copper Switch Off?
If you don’t want to be forced into a new contract with your current provider you can make the switch to Full Fibre broadband ahead of time. Here at Swish, we’re constantly expanding our own Full Fibre broadband network which already offers lightning-fast and reliable broadband.
When will the Copper Switch Off be finished?
The Copper Switch Off is part of a larger plan by the UK government to make gigabit-capable broadband available nation-wide by 2030. Eventually, all the old copper networks in the UK will be switched off and replaced with fibre optic cables.
What makes Full Fibre broadband special?
We all know that fibre broadband gives your home a faster internet connection. But when choosing your next broadband provider, make sure they offer Full Fibre broadband.
Full Fibre means that the entire broadband network, right up to your door, is completed with fibre optic cables. This gives you fast, reliable broadband that won’t have to be replaced or upgraded as internet speeds increase in the future.
We only build Full Fibre at Swish. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for some other providers, who connect you to their fibre optic network but then complete the connection to your home using the outdated copper cables. We call this kind of broadband Fake Fibre, and it can lead to a slower, less reliable connection.
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