The latest report on UK broadband performance highlights notable disparities among service providers in customer complaints. The regulatory body, Ofcom, has revealed the most recent data on grievances lodged by British households, exposing Vodafone and TalkTalk as underperformers. These ISPs have seen a decline in their ratings compared to their competitors.
Vodafone recorded the highest number of complaints at 11 per 100,000, indicating a worsening trend since the previous evaluation. Ofcom confirmed, “TalkTalk and Vodafone were the most complained-about broadband providers, with Vodafone experiencing an uptick in complaints while TalkTalk’s figures remained constant.”
Contrastingly, Virgin Media emerged as a standout performer in the rankings, a significant achievement considering past assessments where it fared poorly. “The least complained-about broadband providers were Plusnet and Virgin Media,” noted Ofcom. Other commendable ISPs include Plusnet and Sky.
Here is the comprehensive breakdown of winners and losers:
– VIRGIN MEDIA • 5 complaints per 100,000
– PLUSNET • 5 complaints per 100,000
– SKY • 7 complaints per 100,000
– BT • 8 complaints per 100,000
– EE • 8 complaints per 100,000
– TALKTALK • 10 complaints per 100,000
– VODAFONE • 11 complaints per 100,000
Beyond broadband services, Ofcom also scrutinizes other sectors such as landline and Pay-TV complaints. Utility Warehouse led the landline segment with only 1 complaint per 100,000 customers, with Sky, Virgin Media, and Vodafone also demonstrating strong performance.
For television services, TalkTalk secured the top spot, closely followed by Sky. The TV service providers’ rankings are as follows:
– TALKTALK • 2 complaints per 100,000
– SKY • 2 complaints per 100,000
– VIRGIN MEDIA • 3 complaints per 100,000
– EE • 5 complaints per 100,000
Overall, there has been a concerning uptick in complaints, largely attributed to recent price hikes affecting numerous households across the UK. Cristina Luna-Esteban, Ofcom’s Director of Consumers and Retail Markets, expressed disappointment at the escalating complaints, particularly following a period of decreasing grievances. She highlighted unexpected mid-contract price rises for mobile customers in autumn 2025 as a significant contributor to the surge in complaints, emphasizing the need for continued market monitoring to address customer dissatisfaction.