The latest assessment of broadband services in the UK has revealed notable variations in customer satisfaction levels. Ofcom, the regulatory body, has disclosed the most recent data on grievances registered by households, indicating that Vodafone and TalkTalk are among the underperformers in terms of customer complaints. Both these prominent Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have seen a decline in their ratings compared to their competitors.
Vodafone received the lowest rating with 11 complaints per 100,000 customers, showing a deterioration from the previous evaluation period, reflecting an increase in dissatisfaction among Vodafone users.
Ofcom stated, “Vodafone and TalkTalk were the most complained-about broadband providers. Vodafone observed a surge in complaints compared to the previous quarter, while TalkTalk’s complaint figures remained unchanged.”
On the contrary, Virgin Media emerged at the top of the rankings, showcasing a significant improvement despite having faced criticism in past evaluations.
Ofcom further added, “The ISPs with the lowest complaint rates were Plusnet and Virgin Media.” Plusnet and Sky were also highlighted for their commendable performance.
The rankings for broadband providers based on complaints per 100,000 customers are as follows:
– Virgin Media: 5 complaints
– Plusnet: 5 complaints
– Sky: 7 complaints
– BT: 8 complaints
– EE: 8 complaints
– TalkTalk: 10 complaints
– Vodafone: 11 complaints
Besides broadband services, Ofcom also monitors complaints in other sectors such as Landline and Pay-TV services. Utility Warehouse received the least number of complaints per 100,000 customers for landline services. Sky, Virgin Media, and Vodafone also demonstrated strong performance in this category.
For television services, TalkTalk secured the top spot, followed by Sky.
The rankings for TV providers based on complaints per 100,000 customers are as follows:
– TalkTalk: 2 complaints
– Sky: 2 complaints
– Virgin Media: 3 complaints
– EE: 5 complaints
Overall, there has been a concerning rise in complaints, primarily attributed to recent price increases affecting a large number of households across the UK.
Cristina Luna-Esteban, Ofcom’s Director of Consumers and Retail Markets, expressed disappointment at the uptick in customer complaints. She highlighted that unexpected mid-contract price rises for certain mobile customers in the Autumn of 2025 have been a major factor contributing to the increase in complaints. Ofcom vows to closely monitor the market and complaints data to address any persisting customer dissatisfaction issues.