Error in openreach database, how to get fixed?

There is an error in the openreach data for my line. The result is that I'm trapped with my current broadband provider (Shell) ...and when my initial contract term expires the price will go through the roof.

I'd like to change provider - anywhere really, not properly compared yet - but on all the provider sites I fail the availability check. They either tell me nothing is available, offer me slow ADSL, or a 4G service.

I can definitely get FTTC. I am using it now. And on the bt checker VDSL is available for my neighbours on either side.

But on the BT wholesale DSL check for myself:
- I can't get a result with my phone number
- using my address, I get results but it shows the wrong exchange. FWIW the exchange it shows covers a street with the same name as mine. The availability checks I get back are consistent with this exchange being the source of the data. Talktalk (but noone else) have also told me I am on a stop sell exchange. I'm not, but the one it shows is.

It didn't used to be like this, so something has changed in the last 18 months.

Is there a way to get this amended? Do I need to go via shell or is there a way to go direct to openreach?

Email Openreach CEO [removed by tbb]

Edited by seb (Mon 02-Feb-26 21:41:16)

What does it say for the WBC SOGEA Availability Date ? It should show Available.
For WBC FTTC Availability Date it shows unavailable for everyone, this is because Analogue phone service is being retired and replaced with Digital Voice. That DV service is called SOGEA for FTTC. So you should still be able to order FTTC under SOGEA.

You don't get any results for the phone number because once again that phone is being searched as Digital Voice and cannot show any service or speed stats.

You are going through a WLR wholesale line rental stop sell. It even shows this at the bottom of the checker "If shown at FTTP or SOGEA premises,ADSL, ADSL2+ and SOADSL are not available to order due to WLR Withdrawal stop sell rules."

By December 2025 Analogue phone service will retire and you can only get FTTC with Digital Voice. That's why it is showing FTTC is unavailable as it is being replaced as SOGEA. I know this is causing major confusion for many, this is not an error.

Complete the form here about your neighbours being able to get fibre but you can't.

https://www.openreach.com/forms/fibre-broadband-avai...

Thanks. I am open to the possibility I'm confused, but I don't think this is the explanation


For my house, there are no VDSL (or gfast) rows in the table at all. And it shows the wrong exchange (and cabinet) across the top.

For my neighbours either side under WBC SOGEA Availability Date it says "Available". It shows the correct exchange and cabinet across the top.

If I do an availability check on an ISP site for my neighbours' addresses, it offers me the 2 fibre (to the cabinet) products, including the one I am on now. But if I do an availability check on an ISP site for my own address, it offers me nothing (basically - BT offer me 4G, one offered me an ADSL product).

I'm really convinced that the data I am seeing for my house is for the wrong exchange and if this can be corrected I'll see accurate availability data.

But until that changes I'll soon start paying a premium of almost £20 extra a month, trapped in a rip-off run on contract when I should be able to just change.

I'm not ruling out emailing openreach leadership directly, but surely there is an established process to get a database error like this corrected?

I will try that.
However...
...*that* availability checker gives me accurate information! But hopefully it goes to the right people to fix the other problem.

is there more than one entry for your property in that list ?

In reply to a post by slothenlyfabric:

but surely there is an established process to get a database error like this corrected?

The link, that jpm gave you will also do the trick!

why?

Yes, there are indeed two entries for the house. They express the same address is a slightly different fashion.
But FWIW I am pretty confident which is which (one has never worked for telecoms stuff and gives a "we cannot determine availability" error, the other is the address on the bill and the entry on that list we've always used, that's the one which actually has data, albeit wrong.)

in that case use JPM's link, on the form and explain whats happened and they should clear up the urpn data

If there is an error on the address database then your current provider ( Shell ) need to advise Openreach via an ORDI request to align the address information with what is held by the Royal Mail , that should allow other ISP to locate your address correctly and initiate the migration process , however , presumably at some point Shell ( in the past ) managed to navigate around the address an anomaly, and raised an order to get you provided with FTTC , migrating from another ISP , , there is no reason why an alternative ISP cannot also identify the appropriate address and arrange a migration, provided you interact with them in the appropriate way .

Obviously if you feel the address data should be correct , ( and it should be ) it’s Shell that need to arrange this via Openreach with the ORDI request ( Openreach Data Integrity )
FWIW , your phone number , unless provided by BTw is not going to a provide result on the BTw checker and Shell are not BTw

Edited by Iniltous (Thu 21-Mar-24 17:13:59)

The anomaly is new. So no previous provider has had to navigate it.

I will see if Shell can help. I have already been in touch and it's not promising. Are they obliged to help? (After all, it's obvious that my motivation for this is to leave them...)

Strictly speaking the address data is correct . It's the exchange it's (purportedly) attached to which is wrong, Is that still fixable via an ORDI request? (thanks for the term I need to use, by the way!)

(I realised that was a likely explanation for the phone number search failing, I'm OK with that)

This might be causing some confusion, given your two slightly different addresses

If you e-mail [email protected] with your full details we may be able to do something. No promises.
Link to this thread and also give details of why the issue is there (re addresses)... and what the error is?

seb

Hi all, thanks for all these suggestions.
The issue is now fixed.

The link provided by @jpm prompted openreach to get in touch with me directly, and fix it.
My provider (shell) also got involved, but in the end were a day behind openreach.

I had exactly the same problem as you and had no idea why or what to do about it. I even thought it was my supplier (BT) playing silly beggers and somehow blocking me from seeing other providers deals !!!

I found this thread, completed the form and had the issue resolved within a couple of days. So thank you for the original post, thanks to all who contributed to the thread and thanks Openreach for the swift response and resolution.