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.)