Ofcom: Plusnet provides most satisfying broadband
August 21, 2020
Research published by Ofcom reveals which UK telecoms providers are setting the industry standard for good customer service.
The annual customer service report looks at how each of the major telcos providers performed last year on measures including customer complaints received, value for money and overall customer satisfaction.
The data is based on how companies performed up to January 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic unfolded.
Which broadband companies have the most satisfied customers?
Overall, 85 per cent of broadband customers say they are satisfied with their service.
Twelve per cent of broadband customers say they had a reason to complain about their service or provider, in line with 2018 – although people were more likely to be happy with how their complaints were handled than in 2018 (up to 53 per cent from 49 per cent in 2018).
Plusnet customers reported higher than average overall satisfaction with their broadband service. This is despite having to wait longer than average for their calls to be answered.
TalkTalk customers were less likely than average to be satisfied with their overall service and with the reliability of their service. They were also less likely than average to recommend their provider to a friend, and less likely than average to be satisfied with how their complaint was handled.
Virgin Media customers had to wait the longest for their calls to be answered (4 minutes 26 seconds on average) and were the also less likely than average to be satisfied with how their complaint was handled.
Which mobile companies have the most satisfied customers?
Overall, more than nine in 10 customers say they are satisfied with their mobile phone service, with only 3 per cent of customers saying they had a reason to complain (down by one percentage point since 2018).
Tesco Mobile customers reported higher than average levels of overall satisfaction and were more likely than average to recommend their provider to a friend. Tesco Mobile customers also reported higher than average satisfaction with reception and value for money.
Three customers were less likely than average to be satisfied overall and less likely than average to recommend their provider to a friend; they also had the longest average call waiting times and were less likely than average to be satisfied with their reception.
Which home phone companies have the most satisfied customers?
Overall, more than eight in 10 customers say they are satisfied with their landline service. Only 4% of landline customers say they had a reason to complain, an increase of one percentage point since 2018.
BT customers reported higher than average levels of satisfaction with the reliability of their landline service and higher satisfaction overall. While Virgin Media customers reported lower than average levels of overall satisfaction and also experienced the longest average call waiting times.
Lindsey Fussell, Consumer Group Director at Ofcom, said: “Checking the quality of a phone or broadband provider’s customer service can be the difference between you signing up to a company that keeps you connected, or one that falls short. Our research helps people to easily compare how providers perform on customer service, so they can choose the one that’s best for them.”
Automatic compensation update
Alongside the report, Ofcom has also published findings from a review of our automatic compensation scheme. The voluntary scheme was introduced in April last year to ensure that, when things go wrong, people get money back from their provider without having to ask for it.
Between July and December 2019, Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme saw over £20.7 million paid out to broadband and landline customers who experienced problems with their services. This is more than double the £8m we estimated was paid out over an equivalent six-month period before the scheme was in place.
The following providers are currently part of the scheme:
- BT
- Sky
- Talk Talk
- Virgin Media
- Zen Internet
- Hyperoptic
- Utility Warehouse
Ofcom is urging other providers to join the scheme to ensure that as many customers as possible can receive compensation when things go wrong.