Best and worst Northern Ireland broadband providers for reliability ranked in new study

Northern Ireland has the second-worst broadband reliability of anywhere in the UK, with over half of people (51%) experiencing outages at some point in the last year.

The most reliable broadband provider in Northern Ireland is Virgin Media, with whom 73% of people experience no outages at all.

People who experience outages may be entitled to £9.76 for every day of the outage if your provider is a part of Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme.

Following a survey of 3,200 people across the UK, the team at Broadband Genie can reveal that Northern Ireland is one of the worst places in the UK for broadband reliability.

Survey participants were asked how many outages they've experienced in the last year, where they live and who their broadband provider is. Using this data, a reliability score out of 100 was calculated by starting with the percentage of people who had no outages and then deducting points based on the total number of outages reported across all respondents.

Where in the UK has the most (and least) reliable broadband?

Broadband reliability can vary significantly depending on where you live, and our latest survey reveals which UK regions are best – and worst – for staying connected.

Northern Ireland ranked as second-worst in the table, with over half of its residents (51%) reporting interrupted connections in the last year.

Which provider has the most reliable broadband in Northern Ireland?

Virgin Media is the winner, with almost 3 out of 4 customers (73%) reporting no outages at all.

Can I claim compensation for a broadband outage?

If your provider is part of Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme then you can claim £9.76 a day, but only if you still have no service two working days after reporting the fault.

Here are the providers who currently take part in the scheme:

If your provider isn't part of Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, you won't be entitled to the £9.76 daily compensation. However, you may still be able to claim compensation directly from your provider.

Here's what to do:

If you're not sure what your provider offers, check their website or contact them directly.

A spokesperson from the experts at Broadband Genie said: "It's pretty shocking that in 2025 even the most reliable broadband provider in Northern Ireland sees a quarter of its customers experiencing broadband outages. If this level of service was delivered by other essential utilities, serious questions would be asked.

"At Broadband Genie, we want to see broadband treated as any other utility, with greater scrutiny placed on essentials such as uptime.

"For customers, when choosing a broadband provider, reliability is just as important to consider as price, especially if you work from home. If your connection goes down, you could end up losing work or paying through the nose to hotspot from your mobile data, none of which is ideal.

"We always recommend that consumers check independent reviews, especially in their area as provider reliability can vary by location, and at the very least ensure their provider is signed up to Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme.

"And, if you do lose connectivity, make sure you put that claim in. It's your money, and you're entitled to it!"

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