Two Openreach announcements landed this week. The first is a Ciena release dated 7 October 2026, a little outside TSN’s usual 48-hour window. The second is Openreach’s own release of 8 October.
Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 for national 800G
Confirmed (Ciena press release, 7 October 2026, with an Openreach quote). Openreach “is deploying Ciena’s … Waveserver powered by WaveLogic 6 (WL6) 1.6Tb/s coherent technology” in its Optical Spectrum Extended Access (OSEA) portfolio [1]. In plain terms, coherent optics is a way of packing very large amounts of data onto one wavelength of light in a fibre. The release says it carries “400G and 800G client traffic over dedicated 1.6Tb/s wavelengths, with a 2RU chassis supporting up to 32 x 400G services”, a chassis two rack units tall. It “introduces national 800G services for the first time” [1]. The sub-headline cites “3.2Tb of scalable capacity over diverse fibre across the UK” [1].
The customers are wholesale buyers, with links named between data centres and cable landing stations. Nicolas Lemaitre, Openreach’s Director of Products, said: “we’re preparing our services for the next wave of digital growth, including increasing demand from AI applications and Critical National Infrastructure.” [1]
The release gives no price, volumes or go-live date. For what 800G means in data centres, see TSN’s earlier explainer.
112 more exchanges for copper stop-sell
Confirmed (Openreach release, 8 October 2026). A “stop sell” means broadband and phone providers can no longer sell new copper-based services in an area. Openreach says it is “triggered when 75% of premises served by an exchange can access Full Fibre broadband” [2]. It has named “a further 112 new exchange locations, covering more than 600,000 new premises (619,724)” and is giving providers “a year’s notice” [2].
Openreach adds: “By November (November 5th), ‘stop sell’ rules will have been activated in 1663 exchanges across the UK – meaning around 16.4 million premises are under active Stop Sell”. It says Full Fibre “is available to more than 23.5 million premises”, and James Lilley, its Managed Customer Migrations Director, refers to the closure of the old phone network (the PSTN) “in less than four months’ time, when everyone will need a digital phone service” [2].
ISPreview, which covered the list, gives “over 24 million” premises and a start date of 4 November 2027 for this batch. Those are ISPreview’s figures; Openreach’s release names no date [3].
What this does not show
- Price, volumes or a go-live date for the 800G services.
- Independent performance figures. The capacity numbers are the companies’ own.
- A copper switch-off date. ISPreview describes stop sell as an earlier step, applied premises by premises, with withdrawal later [3].
- A PSTN closure date. Openreach says “less than four months’ time”; ISPreview says it is due to finish by 31 January 2027 [3].
The Bottom Line
Ciena says Openreach is adding WaveLogic 6 for national 800G services, with no date or price. Openreach has named 112 more exchanges for copper stop-sell, with a year’s notice.
Related on TSN: 800G+ Optical Modules: The Hidden Infrastructure Powering the AI Revolution; Chip Supply Roundup: A Bigger Dresden, Sold-Out Optics and Two Smaller Moves
Sources
- Ciena, “Openreach Selects Ciena’s Waveserver and WaveLogic 6 Modules to Expand High-Capacity Connectivity Services for UK Wholesale Customers”, 7 October 2026 (vendor press release with an Openreach quote; company claims).
- Openreach, “Openreach accelerates copper retirement across 600,000 more UK premises”, 8 October 2026 (company press release).
- ISPreview, “Openreach name next 112 UK areas for copper to full fibre switch – tranche 26”, 8 October 2026 (trade press; source of the 4 November 2027 date, “over 24 million” and the 31 January 2027 PSTN date).
