Fibre to the Cabinet, Fibre to the Premises & Fibre on Demand services are available to customers connected to the Higher Bolton exchange. Most customers can now upgrade from ADSL to fibre internet. BT Broadband is supplied via the Openreach Network. BT Broadband
Local Authority = Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council
UK area dialling code (STD code) for the Higher Bolton exchange is 01204
International dialling code for the Higher Bolton exchange is +44 1204 or 0044 1204
The Higher Bolton exchange is in the Bolton group of exchanges.
9 telephone exchanges form this regional grouping.
OS Grid Ref: SD 69065 10400
Located at :-
British Telecom,
Telephone Exchange,
4 Penrith Avenue,
BOLTON.
BL1 5QF
/// what3words geocode = Ends Fired Drain
Higher Bolton -> Bolton -> North West
See Location Map Below
Openreach and the wider UK telecoms industry are retiring the old Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and associated copper-based services as part of the move to an all-digital, internet-protocol (IP) based network.
The PSTN and associated wholesale copper services - including traditional analogue phone lines, ISDN2, ISDN30 and other legacy products - are being withdrawn.
These services historically relied on copper wiring connected from exchanges to premises. They will be replaced with digital alternatives such as Full Fibre (FTTP) and IP-based broadband services like SOGEA, SOGFAST and other All-IP products.
Originally planned for December 2025, the final withdrawal of the PSTN network has been rescheduled to 31 January 2027 to give more time for migration, particularly for vulnerable customers and specialist services. By this date, all legacy services that depend on the PSTN must be transitioned off the copper network.
On 18th July 2025 Openreach declared the Higher Bolton Exchange, Greater Manchester - Bolton as a 'FTTP Priority Exchange' as part of their Tranche 21 list of exchanges and issued a 'Stop Sell' notice effective from Wednesday 19th August 2026
Stop Sell is triggered when a majority (75%) of premises connected to a particular exchange can get ultrafast Full Fibre. Customers who then want to switch, upgrade or re-grade their broadband or phone service will have to take a new digital service over their new Full Fibre network.