It's no secret that the UK is moving away from ageing copper cables and moving to a digital future. BT's Openreach service has already issued so-called 'stop sell' alerts across the UK, which means broadband firms - such as BT, Sky and TalkTalk - are given a deadline to end the sale of legacy contracts and move customers to new fibre technology and Digital Voice calling.

Closing things down is not some idle threat either. The very first UK exchange has now officially been fully decommissioned as part of the nationwide shift from copper networks to full-fibre digital infrastructure.

Those using the Deddington Exchange in Oxfordshire will now only be able to connect to the web and make phone calls via FTTP (Fibre To The Premises) technology.

Openreach says that the rural location is the first of three pilot exchanges (Ballyclare in Northern Ireland, and Kenton Rd in London are the two othere) that are due to close by the end of November.

This is now part of the firm's long-term plan to exit a total of 4,600 exchanges across the country. These are currently used to support traditional copper-based phone and broadband voice services and will no longer be required once customers have migrated to fibre.

So why is this being done?

Firstly, fibre broadband is faster and more reliable than copper, with homes seeing speeds that are over 10 times faster. Those with Digital Voice also get new features such as call filters and better clarity when ringing friends and family.

Another bonus is that new digital networks use fibre cables and software-based switches.

As Openreach explains, "They need far less physical space than traditional copper-based analogue systems, which require large exchanges to house bulky switches and miles of copper wiring."

The move to digital will mean that Openreach needs just 1,000 'super digital exchanges' - also called Openreach Handover Points (OHPs) - to serve the whole of the UK.

In Deddington, around 1,800 copper lines providing connectivity to local homes and businesses, have now been upgraded to full fibre, with those new digital lines now served and managed by nearby Banbury Exchange - one of Openreach's new 'super digital exchanges.'

James Lilley, Openreach's Managed Customer Migrations Director, said: "Closing thousands of 'legacy' exchanges is a major undertaking, with several million services needing to be migrated. Deddington has served as a proof of concept, demonstrating our ability to decommission legacy exchanges safely, securely, and collaboratively.

"Moving to this new digital world will ultimately benefit everybody. CPs will be able to serve their customers from fewer exchanges, helping to save costs through consolidation of equipment and reduced space and power requirements. And millions of end users will benefit from more reliable and faster fibre-based services - that will be scalable for decades without needing major upgrades.

"It's not just about switching off old kit-it's about building a future-proofed, simpler network for the UK."

THESE ARE NEXT 12 EXCHANGES THAT WILL BE CLOSED NEXT

• Staines

• Thames Ditton

• Baynard

• Wraysbury

• Nazeing

• Langford

• Allestree Park

• Beacon

• Childwall

• Lundin Links

• Carrickfergus

• Glengormley