Bolton Broadband Statistics
Bolton has the best fibre access out of all major cities in the North West, and is among the top 100 best major cities in terms of fibre access across the UK as a whole. Our analysis of Ofcom coverage data shows that Gigabit fibre is available to 90% of residents. UltraFast 300+ Mbps is available to 91% of residents, while SuperFast 30+ Mbps broadband is available to 99% of Bolton's households.
Great broadband infrastructure results in very high speed test averages in Bolton postcodes like BL1, BL3, BL2, BL4, and BL7. Over the past year, we’ve recorded a 50 Mbps median internet speed in Bolton, which is 36% above the United Kingdom national median of 37 Mbps.
Bolton increased access to Gigabit speeds by 89 percentage points in the past year. The buildout rate is also better than neighbouring major cities like Warrington (gained 88 percentate points), Trafford (gained 69 percentate points), and Liverpool (gained 54 percentate points). In addition, real-world speed test data shows that Bolton is dramatically faster than Horwich (70% slower) and Westhoughton (57% slower).
Local broadband speeds over time
The median broadband speed in Bolton has increased by 78% over the last five years.
Local broadband speeds in context
As of 2022, the median broadband speed in Bolton is 26% higher than the North West and 26% higher than the UK overall.
| Bolton | 50 Mbps | |
| North West | 37 Mbps | |
| United Kingdom | 37 Mbps |
Bolton 2022 Broadband Scorecard
▲ First place fibre access
Major Cities, North West
▲ 26% above regional broadband speed
North West
▲ 26% above national broadband speed
UK Overall
Broadband Providers
Overall Performance
We rank each provider relative to all providers in The United Kingdom based on their median download and upload speeds, measured round trip time latencies, and the percentage of speeds tests that exceed 50 Mbps.
Customer Ratings
Customer ratings are based on local reviews matched to Bolton IP addresses. Providers can be scored on a range of 1 to 10, and ranked relative to all providers in The United Kingdom.
Median Speed Test Result
The median is the middle result in the range of tests we measured for each provider in Bolton in the past year. Median speeds provide a better comparison than raw averages because they control for the longtail of tests related to Wi-Fi issues. The charts below represent the distribution of tests associated with each provider from low to high.
View Local Plans
Enter a postcode to check for fibre deals in your area.
Are you researching this topic? Please contact our team with any questions. We offer free consultation on basic requests.
This content is licensed CC BY-ND 4.0. When referencing or citing FairInternetReport data and content on third-party sites, please link your attribution to the source page on fairinternetreport.com.
Broadband Network Infrastructure in Bolton
Are you looking for research assistance?
Contact Fair Internet Report for insights about broadband in Bolton and the UK. We'll connect you with an expert on our team who can answer questions and support your work.
Questions and Requests
Ofcom Fibre Access Analysis for Bolton
See the chart below for annual reporting on fibre build rates in the Bolton area. Availability is based on population in postcodes marked as served by Ofcom Connected Nations reports, according to the most recent census.
| 1,000+ Mbps | 300+ Mbps | 30+ Mbps | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 89.79% | 90.77% | 99.12% |
| 2020 | 0.50% | 88.62% | 99.13% |
| 2019 | 0.49% | 83.12% | 99.29% |
| 2018 | 0.61% | 59.74% | 99.22% |
| 2017 | 0.32% | 72.49% | 98.87% |
| 2016 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 98.20% |
Map of Bolton's Fibre Broadband Availability by Postcode
Gigabit Availability
89.79%
of people living in Bolton can obtain to 1,000+ Mbps broadband speeds
Ultrafast Speeds
90.77%
of Bolton residents can get 300+ Mbps internet service
Superfast 30+ Mbps Broadband
99.12%
availability in Bolton
Poor Broadband Speeds
None
of Bolton is limited to broadband speeds under 30 Mbps
Bolton Broadband Speeds Report
Average Broadband Speeds in Bolton
| Year | Bolton Average | United Kingdom Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 31.96 Mbps | 26.27 Mbps | 21.66% Faster |
| 2019 | 37.49 Mbps | 30.63 Mbps | 22.40% Faster |
| 2020 | 102.83 Mbps | 80.31 Mbps | 28.04% Faster |
| 2021 | 89.26 Mbps | 66.05 Mbps | 35.14% Faster |
Bolton Broadband Speed Distribution
| Percentage of Speed Tests in Speed Range | ||
|---|---|---|
| Internet Speed Range | Bolton | United Kingdom |
| Very Slow: under 10 Mbps | 17.30% | 19.92% |
| Slow: 10-30 Mbps | 20.72% | 25.74% |
| Adequate: 30-60 Mbps | 21.00% | 25.20% |
| Good: 60-80 Mbps | 8.73% | 10.20% |
| Fast: 80-300 Mbps | 26.84% | 15.33% |
| Very Fast: over 300 Mbps | 5.42% | 3.60% |
How Bolton Compares to Major Cities
| City / Town | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bolton | 904.53 Mbps | 36.57—142.19 Mbps | 50.06 Mbps | - |
| Greater London | 5794.21 Mbps | 33.1—96.06 Mbps | 45.61 Mbps | Slower |
| Birmingham | 2786.06 Mbps | 29.35—107.11 Mbps | 38.56 Mbps | Slower |
| Liverpool | 1134.53 Mbps | 25.63—89.99 Mbps | 34.68 Mbps | Slower |
| Nottingham | 2371.49 Mbps | 15.99—39.85 Mbps | 18.81 Mbps | Slower |
| Sheffield | 936.79 Mbps | 23.81—68.97 Mbps | 32.12 Mbps | Slower |
| Bristol | 943.13 Mbps | 30.46—109.99 Mbps | 42.42 Mbps | Slower |
| Glasgow | 913.93 Mbps | 20.72—71.44 Mbps | 32.11 Mbps | Slower |
| Leicester | 935.89 Mbps | 27.49—99.53 Mbps | 37.05 Mbps | Slower |
| Edinburgh | 874.24 Mbps | 29.98—107.56 Mbps | 38.13 Mbps | Slower |
Cities and Provider Internet Speeds in Bolton
| Position | City | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range | Median | # Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bolton | 904.53 Mbps | 36.57—142.19 Mbps | 50.06 Mbps | 14 |
| 2 | Westhoughton | 932.8 Mbps | 23.82—69.15 Mbps | 31.79 Mbps | 9 |
| 3 | Horwich | 815.3 Mbps | 23.05—53.41 Mbps | 29.51 Mbps | 7 |
Bolton Broadband Speeds Over Time
We class broadband speed distributions as follows: very slow under 10 Mbps; slow 10-30 Mbps; adequate 30-60 Mbps; good 60-80 Mbps; fast 80-300 Mbps; very fast over 300 Mbps.
How Bolton Compares for Internet Speed in Bolton
| Position | City / Town | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bolton | 904.53 Mbps | 36.57—142.19 Mbps | 50.06 Mbps | - |
Bolton Internet Speed Test Results
We analysed the results of people in Bolton testing broadband providers multiple times, with each test starting no more than 30 minutes after the previous speed test. On average, people in Bolton ran 4 internet speed tests per session. Looking at broadband download speeds, if the Bolton resident's final test is 10% faster than their starting download speed, we count that as a succesful and faster speed test result. We count an unsuccessful, slower result if the final result is 10% slower than the starting result; we'd hope their ISP contacts them ASAP! For broadband speed tests that don't vary by that much, we consider the final result to be the same. For Bolton's residents, of the internet speed tests we measured, 42.89% were fast, 25.35% slow, and 31.76% broadly the same.
Most Recent Tests
| Provider | Start Time | # Tests | Duration | Start Speed | End Speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 22:42:53 | 4 | 12 mins | 54.26 Mbps | 177.99 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 22:45:03 | 2 | 36 secs | 9.54 Mbps | 7.72 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 22:09:20 | 2 | 14 secs | 192.17 Mbps | 203.78 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 22:02:51 | 2 | 3 mins | 88.07 Mbps | 103.45 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 21:46:35 | 6 | 14 mins | 19.7 Mbps | 20.75 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 21:44:35 | 2 | 7 mins | 29.26 Mbps | 148.68 Mbps | Improved |
| Sky Broadband | 24 Jan 2022 21:17:17 | 2 | 19 mins | 21.92 Mbps | 4.78 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Vodafone | 24 Jan 2022 21:08:21 | 2 | 22 mins | 45.67 Mbps | 45.75 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 20:56:07 | 2 | 15 mins | 191.61 Mbps | 127.11 Mbps | Needs help |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 20:43:14 | 2 | 71 secs | 195.37 Mbps | 203.71 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 20:19:31 | 3 | 112 secs | 31.24 Mbps | 42.2 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 19:48:25 | 4 | 26 mins | 0.04 Mbps | 13.69 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 19:51:51 | 2 | 20 mins | 209.6 Mbps | 196.28 Mbps | |
| BT | 24 Jan 2022 20:01:00 | 2 | 5 mins | 18.48 Mbps | 18.42 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 19:48:30 | 2 | 105 secs | 31.16 Mbps | 71.68 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 19:41:28 | 2 | 34 secs | 414.39 Mbps | 295.04 Mbps | Needs help |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 19:35:37 | 2 | 36 secs | 34.07 Mbps | 96.06 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 19:25:27 | 2 | 2 mins | 34.98 Mbps | 13.75 Mbps | Needs help |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 18:28:25 | 8 | 37 mins | 80 Mbps | 97.65 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 24 Jan 2022 18:47:07 | 3 | 2 mins | 19.07 Mbps | 25.4 Mbps | Improved |
Summary of Internet Service Providers in Bolton
| # | Provider Name | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virgin Media | 838.12 Mbps | 59.66—208.82 Mbps |
| 2 | Zone Broadband | 805.82 Mbps | 36.12—171.4 Mbps |
| 3 | Hyperoptic | 105.05 Mbps | 53.04—67.97 Mbps |
| 4 | BT | 904.53 Mbps | 29.41—70.6 Mbps |
| 5 | Vodafone | 898.52 Mbps | 30.85—66.37 Mbps |
| 6 | CIX | 626.49 Mbps | 7.79—40.95 Mbps |
| 7 | EE | 424.5 Mbps | 23.63—60.79 Mbps |
| 8 | TalkTalk | 473.69 Mbps | 22.91—52.65 Mbps |
| 9 | Sky Broadband | 505.06 Mbps | 20.24—57.9 Mbps |
| 10 | Zen Internet | 500.5 Mbps | 6.29—47.49 Mbps |
| 11 | Plusnet | 74.19 Mbps | 20.43—46.3 Mbps |
| 12 | Shell Energy | 73.25 Mbps | 6.28—21.04 Mbps |
| 13 | Origin Broadband | 24.29 Mbps | 2.38—22.59 Mbps |
| 14 | KCOM | 18.28 Mbps | 2.44—4.17 Mbps |
Frequently Asked Questions about Internet Providers in Bolton
How many broadband providers in Bolton are there?
Bolton has 14 ISPs tested by its 285,372 residents.
Who is the fastest broadband provider in Bolton?
Virgin Media is the fastest broadband provider in Bolton with 838.12 Mbps, and an average internet speed range of 59.66—208.82 Mbps.
Who is the best internet provider in Bolton?
The best internet provider in Bolton is Virgin Media, and their users typically see broadband speeds in the range of 59.66 to 208.82 Mbps.
What is the average internet speed in Bolton?
Users in Bolton see an average internet speed of 36.57 up to 233 Mbps, and the fastest speed we've seen is 904.53 Mbps.
Is Virgin Media available in Bolton?
Broadband service from Virgin Media is available in Bolton, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 838.12 Mbps.
Is Sky Broadband available in Bolton?
Broadband service from Sky Broadband is available in Bolton, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 505.06 Mbps.
Is BT available in Bolton?
Broadband service from BT is available in Bolton, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 904.53 Mbps.
Is BT full fibre available in Bolton?
Yes, BT offers full fibre to the home (also called FTTH or FTTP) to 219 of Bolton's postcodes.
Who is the most popular broadband provider in Bolton?
The broadband provider with the most users in Bolton is Virgin Media.
Author: Thomas Buck
Last Reviewed By: Tyler Cooper
Published: 10 Nov 2019
Last Updated: 24 Jan 2022
It looks like your broadband provider is . Is that right?