Ofcom reveals most complained-about telecoms and pay-TV providers

Today we’ve published the latest figures for complaints we’ve received about the UK’s major home phone, mobile, broadband and pay-TV providers during the three months from April to June.

In summary, our latest complaints data shows:

• Overall, complaint volumes during this quarter are broadly in line with the previous three months.
• Shell Energy continues to generate the most broadband and landline complaints. The most common reason for these was because of how it handled customers’ complaints.
• For broadband, the number of complaints received about Shell Energy are three times higher than the industry average.
• Sky continues to attract the fewest broadband and landline complaints.
• Year on year, the relative volume of complaints for broadband and home phone decreased slightly, while complaints for pay-monthly mobile and pay-TV services remained the same.

Overall complaint numbers are stable, but these figures show some providers need to step up. And with household budgets being squeezed during the cost-of-living crisis, people will be taking a closer look at their provider to make sure they’re still the right one for them.

Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom's Group Director for Networks and Communications

Mobile

BT Mobile and Virgin Mobile are the most complained-about pay-monthly mobile operators, with four and three complaints respectively per 100,000 customers. Complaints are primarily about customers’ experience when changing provider (BT Mobile) and how their complaint had been handled (Virgin Mobile). Tesco Mobile, EE, Sky Mobile and iD Mobile attracted the fewest complaints in the mobile sector.

Broadband

Shell Energy is by far the worst performing broadband provider, with 31 complaints per 100,000 customers – almost three times higher than the industry average. The most complained-about issue was how it handles customers’ complaints. Vodafone, TalkTalk, Virgin Media and Plusnet also performed worse than the industry average.

Sky is the best performing broadband provider, attracting three complaints per 100,00 customers. It was followed by EE (six), BT (eight) and NOW Broadband (nine), all below the industry average of 11 complaints per 100,000 customers.

Home phone

Again, Shell Energy is by far the worst performing provider, attracting 23 complaints per 100,000 customers – four times higher than the industry average. Two in five of these complaints are about how it had handled complaints. TalkTalk, Virgin Media, Vodafone and NOW Broadband  also attracted more complaints than the industry average of six per 100,000 customers.

Sky is the best performing home phone provider, attracting two complaints per 100,000 customers, compared to an industry average of six.

Pay-TV

Virgin Media continues to attract the highest volume of pay-TV complaints, with ten complaints per 100,000 customers, compared to an industry average of four. The most common reason for these was how it handled customers’ complaints. Sky received the fewest pay-TV complaints.

Why we publish this data

Our complaints data helps people to compare providers when they’re shopping around for a new service – and it also helps to encourage companies to improve their performance.

Although Ofcom cannot resolve individual complaints, we offer advice to people about the telecoms and pay-TV services they use, and the information we receive can lead to us launching investigations.

If you’re experiencing problems with your home phone, broadband, mobile or pay-TV service you should complain to your provider first. If you are unhappy with the outcome, you can take the complaint to an independent ombudsman, who will look at the case and make a judgment on it.