The Shard gets infrastructure upgrade – but more London buildings still at risk

The Shard is the latest London landmark to benefit from a major digital infrastructure upgrade as more buildings make the switch to Full Fibre.

But Openreach is warning that around 3,000 commercial buildings across the capital still risk losing some vital services unless owners move away from the old analogue copper-based network, which is being switched off in January 2027.

All of these buildings still have at least one premises within them that are still using the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

This could mean the premises risk losing access to services including phones, security and alarm systems, remote building monitoring and back up communications.

Upgrading the copper infrastructure to Full Fibre means that these services can continue without disruption, while unlocking faster speeds, a more reliable and consistent connection, and futureproofing for smart building technologies.

The Shard is the latest landmark to make the switch to the Full Fibre network – a process that took just a few hours.

As the iconic building already has dedicated secure Ethernet connections, engineers simply added new infrastructure to the comms rooms with no disruption to tenants.

Abigail Kershaw, MDU professional from Openreach, said: “We worked closely with The Shard to make sure the upgrade was simple, seamless and meticulously planned. That’s a process we adopt across all upgrades like this to avoid any disruption to tenants.

“It’s not just about replacing copper – it’s about future-proofing your building for decades to come. It supports critical systems, enables smart building technology, and makes sure tenants have the connectivity they need to thrive. Thousands of other commercial buildings in London can follow this same process, and we’re here to help make it happen.

“The deadline for the PSTN switch off is now just 12-months away and won’t be moving – so businesses need to act now. Every day of delay risks disruptions, higher costs, and missed opportunities.”

People in commercial buildings should contact their service provider or visit the Openreach website to check whether they can upgrade now. They can also reach out to Openreach’s MDU Enablement team at mdudesk@openreach.co.uk.

Openreach’s full fibre network now reaches more than 22 million properties, and the company plans to extend this to 25 million homes and businesses by the end of 2026, with a belief it can reach as many as 30 million by the end of the decade – with the right investment conditions.