New fibre cable not installed to my property - what next?

[diggerdeedum]

The new fibre cabling was installed in my road last year, in advance of the future digital switchover. However I’ve just realised that myself and some of my neighbours don’t have access to it. Our flats are at one end of a block and can only be reached by crossing private driveways, paths or communal lawns. The fibre installation stopped at the other end of my block, where only two flats have utilities accessed directly from the public road and pavement.

What will happen at switchover? Will I and my neighbours lose our landline and internet access? I often work remotely from home, so internet access is vital. I want to remain a BT customer - not least because my BT email address has been my main one for many years and it would  be a nightmare to lose it.

Are there any plans in place to maintain my service in the absence of a fibre connection? I’m really worried. I don’t know how to flag this, who needs to know, or who I should contact for help and advice.

Many thanks for any insights.

[WSH]

The change to Digital Voice and the change to Fibre Optic (FTTP) are actually two separate things.  Digital voice will run quite happily over the copper line.  I myself have been on DV since September and I am still on FTTC, (as Openreach are missing in action round here as far a Full Fibre goes).

[Keith_Beddoe]

@diggerdeedum 

Despite the misleading information in the press, copper is not being discontinued, it the old PSTN phone system that is going.

See https://landlinesgo.digital/

[diggerdeedum]

According to Openreach, they still think the copper network is being decommissioned. Think I’ve seen December 2025 as the target date (although knowing such projects, that’s likely to slip).

So my services via analogue copper possibly have less than two years before I lose them. Tis a problem indeed.

https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/retiring-the-copper-network

[WSH]

No.  The copper line will continue until it is replaced by fibre optic and in the meantime DV will operate over copper, as it is now doing in my case.  They will not just suddenly cut you off.  As Keith said, it is the PSTN (Public Switch Telephone Network) that is being decommissioned from the end of 2025, in favour of DV, be it over copper or fibre optic.

Just to clarify further, copper is being withdrawn but this is not the December 2025 deadline.  That is for the PSTN.  Copper lines are on a much longer schedule and will probably be around into the 2030's before they are all replaced.  As I said in my first post, the two have been mixed up but are actually two completely separate things.