Ofcom is reviewing the price of full fibre and leased lines — change is due in October

The wholesale prices that sit underneath most business broadband and leased lines are about to be reviewed. Openreach has put forward new pricing for its full-fibre (FTTP) broadband and its Ethernet and leased-line services, with the changes proposed to take effect from 1 October 2026. Because Openreach holds such a large share of the UK's fixed network, it can't simply set those prices: the regulator, Ofcom, has to scrutinise them first.

What's actually under review

The proposals cover the full range of full-fibre broadband speeds, from entry-level tiers up to the fastest residential products, plus the Ethernet Access Direct services that businesses rely on for dedicated leased lines. Installation charges and engineering fees are in scope too. Ofcom ran a call for inputs that closed in June, and now weighs whether the proposed framework is fair before it can apply. It can approve the prices, require changes, or push back.

Why a wholesale review reaches your bill

You don't buy from Openreach directly, you buy from a provider that does. But the wholesale price is the floor under what you pay, so when it moves, retail prices tend to follow over time. A review like this shapes the cost of, and the deals available on, business connections for the next stretch, which is why it's worth being aware of even though it reads like regulatory background noise.

There's a push to move off the old kit

Part of the proposal includes sizeable migration discounts for businesses moving from older Ethernet products onto the current generation. That's the same direction of travel as the phone switch-off: the old platforms are being retired, and the pricing is being arranged to make staying on them the expensive choice. If you're on an ageing leased line, this is the period where a move is likely to make financial sense as well as technical sense.

What to do with this

You don't need to act on a regulatory review. You do need to know what you're on and when your contract ends. If your leased line or business broadband is up for renewal in the next year, the landscape it renews into is changing, so it's worth checking what's available at your address and whether a newer product does the job for less.