topic Re: Stop sell exemption in Broadband & Landline

Stop sell exemption

Jag156 — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 16:42:04 GMT

My existing FTTC contract has just ended. EE has confirmed that Openreach has granted me a stop sell exemption to stay on FTTC instead of moving to full fibre. But EE say they are still unable to offer a new contract for FTTC as it isn’t showing up as an option on their system.

I’m struggling to understand the point of the Openreach exemption, if EE can simply continue to insist ‘computer says ‘no’’ and no one seems to know how to override whatever is blocking it.

Thank you!

Re: Stop sell exemption

JimM11 — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 16:52:03 GMT

@Jag156 So why do you have the exemption, ie medical devices, pendant support, vulnerable status, etc etc.

Your contract never ends so staying on FTTC as is is fine, just loosing all the discount's that are applied will be your outcome and paying full premium. Is your moving to a FF Full Fibre connection difficult or just something you wish not to do, cannot really understand why anyone would not wish to, had now nearly two years next month an not one single issue on a FF500 feed and moved EE/Sky/Vodafone all within that period also.

Re: Stop sell exemption

XRaySpeX — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 16:56:56 GMT

What does BT Wholesale Broadband Availability Checker > Address Checker estimate for your address? Post the whole table, the text below it and the line above it, blanking out your address.

Re: Stop sell exemption

Jag156 — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:15:50 GMT

Exemption is for vulnerable/immunosuppressed and generally too unwell to deal with the hassle it would involve.

Yes, I was told the exemption would mean I could continue to receive the discount, but now we have the exemption, EE say the computer still won’t let them give this.

Re: Stop sell exemption

Jag156 — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:16:46 GMT

Re: Stop sell exemption

JimM11 — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:23:59 GMT

@Jag156 You may just have to carry on as is then, paying full price with no discount month/month and you can leave at any time or upgrade if/when you feel that is possible, computer say's sock it to them.

Re: Stop sell exemption

Jag156 — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:29:31 GMT

Thanks. Yes, I think that is what I am concluding. I’ve dealt with 7 different people so far, and feel worn down by it all. I originally asked if I could just continue as I am, paying more with the discount ending. They insisted the exemption would be best, as it would allow them to continue providing the discount. But now we have the exemption, apparently it doesn’t.

Re: Stop sell exemption

XRaySpeX — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:39:27 GMT

EE will not sell new FTTC connections at locations where FTTP is available. However there is nowt to stop you staying on your existing FTTC contact w/out doing anything like upgrading, but at the loss of any initial discounts. Then any exemption offered you by OR is immaterial.

I don't how any exemption offered by OR can dictate any discounts offered or not by EE. That is EE commercial strategy & no business of OR's. The exemption was just to stay on FTTC instead of moving to FTTP.

Re: Stop sell exemption

JimM11 — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:40:57 GMT

@Jag156 What speed are you on package wise as all the options are available to you, from FF - VDSL - ADSL, also have you been switched to DV Digital Voice if you have a landline in play with EE currently. If you are full FTTC then 80/20 split would be your current speed range, FTTC becomes available as more user's drop off it when they have that connection type and connect to the FF Full Fibre network.

Re: Stop sell exemption

Jag156 — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:45:17 GMT

Yes, I was moved to DV earlier this year. No idea on speed, to be honest, other than it being fine for all my needs and being to ill to contemplate changing anything just now.

Re: Stop sell exemption

Jag156 — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:51:32 GMT

Thanks. EE told me that I could stay as I am anyway, without the exemption, and lose the discount. But that having the exemption would enable them to offer me a new FTTC contract which would include the same discount. But now they say the option isn’t showing up on the computer in the way it should, so they now can’t offer it.

Re: Stop sell exemption

JimM11 — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 18:09:27 GMT

@Jag156 Hang in there then, if you need and it can be a whole lot off hassle to change over looking at other ISP's but they also may just insist you have to go FF Full Fibre as it's the general remit currently, get as many on Fibre as possible, it is very reliable to say the least, but can be a pig when the installation teams just do as they wish with NO regard to the EE Hub location and wireless wifi going it's up, fill in....🙄

Re: Stop sell exemption

Debbie_G — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:29:40 GMT

HI @Jag156.

Thanks for explaining your circumstances. I understand you'd like to keep your existing service as it is, particularly given your current situation.

I've sent you a private message to get some information from you, so that we can get you some help with this and talk through the options available to you.

Debbie

Re: Stop sell exemption

Jag156 — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 10:35:07 GMT

Many thanks for your message. It is much appreciated.

Someone from EE is phoning me again tomorrow. If it is still unresolved after that, I will definitely message you. Thank you.

Searching online, it seems that if Openreach’s stop sell exemption to remain FTTC doesn’t show on EE’s frontline system, it needs to be escalated to provisioning, who can manually force the order through the Openreach portal. Unfortunately, I don’t yet seem to have spoken to anyone at EE who has considered this as a possibility.