The latest report by the UK’s regulatory body, Ofcom, reveals a mixed bag of results for broadband providers, with some companies faring better than others in terms of customer complaints. Vodafone and TalkTalk are singled out as underperformers in this assessment, receiving more complaints compared to their competitors.
Vodafone recorded the highest number of complaints, with 11 per 100,000 customers, showing a negative trend from the previous period. On the other hand, TalkTalk’s complaint figures remained stable, according to Ofcom.
Virgin Media, despite a history of poor performance in such tests, emerged as the least complained-about provider in this round. Plusnet and Virgin Media were highlighted as top performers by Ofcom, alongside Sky.
In the broadband segment, Virgin Media and Plusnet led the pack with only 5 complaints per 100,000 customers each, followed by Sky with 7, BT and EE with 8 each, TalkTalk with 10, and Vodafone with 11.
Apart from broadband services, Ofcom also assesses other offerings like landline and Pay-TV services. Utility Warehouse received the least complaints in the landline category with just 1 per 100,000 customers, while Sky, Virgin Media, and Vodafone also scored well. TalkTalk ranked first in TV services, followed by Sky.
Overall, there has been a rise in complaints across the board, mainly attributed to recent price hikes affecting many households in the UK. Cristina Luna-Esteban, Ofcom’s Director of Consumers and Retail Markets, expressed disappointment over the uptick in complaints, particularly following a period of decreasing complaints about telecom companies. She highlighted unexpected mid-contract price rises for mobile customers as a significant factor driving these complaints, pledging to closely monitor the market for signs of ongoing customer discontent.
