Aaron Howdle | September 9th, 2021
You have seen the vans driving around, but what exactly is Openreach? If you get broadband from a provider other than Virgin Media, such as Sky, Plusnet, Talk Talk or almost any other, your service is provided using the Openreach network of cables and exchanges. Openreach is the hidden hand behind your broadband service. Your provider buys access to the Openreach network to carry its broadband and telephone services.
In the following guide we will take a look at what Openreach is and how it works. We will also dive into a little of the history behind the company, and hopefully answer any questions you have regarding what Openreach does.
If your broadband is supplied via a phone line then odds-on you are using the Openreach network, regardless of which internet service provider you use. Openreach is a subsidiary of BT that runs the network infrastructure part of the business. Openreach installs and maintains all the cabling, street cabinets and connections to the local exchanges. However you do not need to be a BT customer to be using its network of cables. Most broadband providers, with the exception of Virgin Media, use the Openreach network to get broadband into your home.
Openreach only recently became a separate entity to BT, following pressure from MPs and BT’s competitors, which led to a review by the telecoms watchdog Ofcom. BT originally had control of the network that most other broadband providers use. There was a sense that faults were addressed more slowly for other broadband providers that used BT’s network and the status quo was seen as uncompetitive.
MP’s initially called for BT to sell off the network part of the company, but in the end this was considered too complicated because of various long-term covenants and responsibilities, such as staff pensions, so instead the network was made into a subsidiary of BT that operates separately and is regulated separately to provide a fair service to the broadband providers who use it.
It was back in 2005 that Ofcom first ruled that the network infrastructure part of BT should become a separate division. Openreach, as the network infrastructure brand, was then launched in 2006. This led to short-term savings for broadband customers, but has also been blamed for longer-term costs. The reduction in investment which the split caused has been pointed to as a reason for the UK’s slow fibre broadband roll-out. In addition, the types of fibre broadband available have been less than optimal. For example, rather than a more expensive, but far superior full-fibre service, most customers will get the cheaper-to-implement G-Fast fibre which was rolled out as a cheap shortcut, but caps speeds at around 100Mbps.
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For most people in the UK, the only alternatives to Openreach are either Virgin Media or 4G/5G broadband over a mobile network. There are, however, some other options, specific to certain areas or criteria. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Generally speaking, you should contact your broadband provider, which will put in a request to Openreach if they are needed to correct the fault.
Openreach install and maintain the street cabinets, exchanges and cabling which carry your broadband service. This is then leased by your provider. Usually, when you have a new broadband service or telephone line connected, an Openreach engineer will do the work at the street cabinet.
Openreach has been rolling out fibre for some time now; many think too slowly. If your area has a relatively small population, the sad fact is that Openreach may not consider it worth the investment to install superfast fibre in your community. However as time goes on and technology improves, all areas should eventually be served.
Yes, it is a subsidiary of BT. However, it is supposed to have a high degree of independence. Openreach states that it “treats all Communications Providers equally”.
You can contact Openreach directly if you wish to have particular work undertaken or installed. This would be for things like having a phone line installed into a new-build home.