The latest assessment of broadband services in the UK reveals varying levels of customer complaints. Ofcom, the regulator, disclosed the most recent data, indicating that Vodafone and TalkTalk have room for improvement. These two major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) experienced a decline in their rankings, falling below their competitors.
Vodafone received the lowest rating, with 11 complaints per 100,000 customers, showing a deterioration from the previous evaluation. Ofcom stated, “TalkTalk and Vodafone were the most complained-about broadband providers, with Vodafone witnessing an increase in complaints compared to the previous quarter, while TalkTalk’s complaint numbers remained unchanged.”
On a positive note, Virgin Media emerged at the top of the list, a notable achievement given its past performance in similar tests. Ofcom noted, “The least complained-about broadband providers were Plusnet and Virgin Media,” highlighting the successful performance of these ISPs, along with Plusnet and Sky.
The rankings for broadband 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
Apart from broadband issues, Ofcom also monitored other services such as Landline and Pay-TV complaints. Utility Warehouse excelled in landline services with only 1 complaint per 100,000 customers, while Sky, Virgin Media, and Vodafone also performed well in this category. TalkTalk led the TV services category, followed by Sky.
For TV complaints per 100,000 customers, the rankings were:
– TalkTalk: 2 complaints
– Sky: 2 complaints
– Virgin Media: 3 complaints
– EE: 5 complaints
Overall, there has been a concerning increase in complaints, attributed mostly to recent price hikes affecting numerous households in the UK. Cristina Luna-Esteban, Ofcom’s Director of Consumers and Retail Markets, expressed disappointment over the rise in customer complaints, particularly following a period of decreasing telecom company complaints. She highlighted unexpected mid-contract price increases for some mobile customers in Autumn 2025 as a significant factor driving these complaints. Ofcom will continue to monitor the market to gauge ongoing customer satisfaction levels.