Ofcom Gives Green Light for Copper Price Changes in UK
Britain's communications regulator Ofcom has announced plans to permit Openreach to adjust wholesale pricing on copper broadband connections from April 1, 2029. This decision is part of the country's transition to full-fiber infrastructure.
The adjustment will only apply to premises where full-fiber is available in exchange areas where ultrafast broadband with download speeds exceeding 300 megabits per second reaches 90% of premises. Openreach will be allowed to alter copper connection prices to encourage customer migration to fiber services, citing the cost and inefficiency of maintaining dual infrastructure.
Full-fiber broadband now reaches more than 80% of households across the UK. In 2021, Ofcom permitted Openreach to stop offering copper-based broadband connections to new customers in exchange areas where full-fiber availability reached 75% of premises.