Openreach Cognigy

Guiding the UK’s broadband customers through a national network upgrade with proactive AI

Openreach, part of British Telecom, deployed proactive AI agents to support one of the UK’s largest infrastructure transformation programs, managing customer engagement at national scale during its digital network upgrade. The initiative transformed the customer experience, and produced tens of millions in annual benefits for Openreach and its clients such as Sky and Vodafone.

The Challenge

At the outset, communication was fragmented and inconsistent.

Different providers delivered different messages across different channels, creating a disconnected experience with limited end-to-end visibility. Customers were left trying to interpret what the upgrade meant for them, while service teams managed a high-effort process across multiple handoffs.

The consequences were immediate. Appointments were missed. Engineers were dispatched unnecessarily. Time and resources were lost at scale, driving avoidable cost and operational inefficiency across the service journey.

For vulnerable customers, the stakes were higher. Many relied on landlines for telecare devices. For them, uncertainty was not just frustrating, it introduced real risk.

This was not simply a communications issue. It exposed the limits of a reactive operating model that could not support the scale and complexity of a nationwide network transformation.

The Solution

Openreach decided to change its approach. Instead of leaving customer communications to different providers, the company deployed a unified proactive customer engagement strategy with NiCE AI Agents.

Proactive AI agents now engage directly with customers via SMS, email, or phone. These agents explain the upgrades, answer questions, and manage appointment changes through a seamless self-service experience. They can also reschedule or bring appointments forward, helping Openreach respond more dynamically to operational changes and available capacity.

Because the engagement is proactive, customers don’t have to dial in or wait on hold. As soon as something significant changes, they are automatically informed. This approach also works for customers who only use landlines, extending the reach of the program and making it more inclusive.

The AI agents provide consistent, compliant communication at scale while preserving flexibility for more sensitive customer situations. Whether a customer prefers text, email, or a phone call, the AI adapts to their channel of choice and ensures they have the information and support needed to complete their upgrade smoothly.

The Impact

Missed deployments dropped by more than 35%. Fewer engineers were sent out unnecessarily, and the whole process became smoother and more efficient for customers.

With NiCE's Agentic AI, Openreach achieved major operational savings while redefining the customer experience. Inbound contact volumes dropped by roughly one-third, while repeat contacts declined even further, freeing teams to focus on higher-value interactions.

The transformation is reflected in Openreach’s Trustpilot rating, which started at 2.0 before AI implementation and now sits at 4.7 out of 5, based on hundreds of thousands of customer reviews.

In a transformation of this scale, earning that level of trust makes all the difference. Proactive AI agents deliver tens of millions in benefits for Openreach and its clients while ensuring that vulnerable customers receive the support they need during a complex infrastructure transition.

The deployment demonstrates how AI-powered customer engagement can transform large-scale infrastructure projects, turning potential disruption into a proactive, predictive, and customer-centric experience that builds trust and drives operational excellence.

Guiding the UK’s broadband customers through a national network upgrade with proactive AI

4.7/5

35%

£ Tens of Millions

Hear from the Director of Customer Service at Openreach

The Challenge

The Solution

The Impact

Proactive Outbound Voice Agent

Self-Service

Omnichannel Engagement

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