The streets and pavements in early autumn in Barrow were dominated by CityFibre and Openreach installing ifbre cables ready for an upheaval to our land telephones and internet services.

What’s it all been about?

1. Landline telephones are becoming part of the internet network instead of the old overhead copper telephone cables. (i.e. they are becoming digitised instead of analogue and the old system will be switched off entirely).
2. All copper cables are being removed and replaced by fbre direct to your house (instead of fibre to cabinet and then copper cable to your house). In future that is how you will get your Broadband (and telephone if you decide to keep it).
3. Sales people, either in person or digitally, may be contacting you to try to persuade you to upgrade your broadband contracts ready for these changes. But remember, don’t give any bank details or personal contact addresses.

How confusing! Let’s explore them in a bit more detail.

1. First, the good old-fashioned telephone. At some point soon, you should be contacted by your phone provider to tell you that your old system is about to change. You may want to keep your landline although many people don’t. They simply use their mobile phone all the time. If you do decide to keep the telephone, you will probably be told to pull out the cable from the phone base to the wall telephone socket and plug it into your broadband router. Simple as that! If you don’t have broadband, your provider will supply one specifically to support the new service, and you shouldn’t have to pay extra as long as you don’t take up a broadband service.
   There is a problem with broadband if there is a power cut. Your telephone, now running through the broadband service WON’T WORK IN A POWER CUT (whereas a mobile phone that is charged up WILL WORK). Your provider must offer you a solution to make sure you can contact the emergency services when a power cut occurs. For example, a mobile phone (if you have signal), or a battery back- up unit for your landline phone.
   There is another problem if you have been using a care-alarm such as a pendant or wrist alarm or have a house security alarm service that has been plugged into the old telephone system. If you have a device like this, you need to tell your provider. It might need to be replaced or adjusted to continue working once you move to the new digital service. Your provider should tell you what you need to do if you have one of these devices. This will include informing your alarm provider so they can make the necessary changes or tell you if your alarm will work with your new telephone service.
   If you are buying a new alarm or device, you should ask the manufacturer if it is compatible with the new service.
2. The replacement of copper cables with entirely fibre cables direct to the house is expected to be completed by the end of January 2027. However, I chatted to two Openreach engineers on October 10th at the bottom of Nottingham Road and they were making the connection into the house there. So, I guess that most of Barrow is ready for connection already. Your broadband provider will contact you ahead of this connection process, so you don’t need to take any action until that happens. I assume that engineers will then deal with everything.
   For many houses, the fibre will come from underground, direct from the pavement nearby. Other houses will continue to receive the new cable via a telegraph pole.
   The decision to make the change to all direct fbre is not just happening in the UK and it’s not a governmental decision. It is the telecommunications industry that has had increasing problems with an outdated system. You should find that you get much better and faster speeds, clearer telephone line, fewer faults that can be mended quicker. Fingers crossed!
3. Most of us will expect to hear from our telephone and broadband providers sometime in the near future about the two imminent changes (telephone and direct- to-house fbre). Unfortunately, there is also beginning to be a spate of cold calling and postal communication by marketing representatives trying to entice you to switch contracts to a different provider. This is on the back of the promises of extra fast broadband (and inevitably more expensive). You should check carefully what is being communicated and be careful not to confuse vital instructions with marketing material.

Alistair Preston and Judith Rodgers