Ofcom: Broadband complaints down, pay-TV stable
October 18, 2022
Ofcom has published the latest figures for complaints it has received about the UK’s major home phone, mobile, broadband and pay-TV providers during the three months from April to June 2022. The 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,” commented 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.
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.