The most complained about broadband, mobile and fixed companies revealed: see how yours compares… and why Ofcom is ‘concerned’ about one company
- Ofcom has revealed the communications companies we struggle with the most
- Complaint figures do not yet cover the huge bill increases in early April
- Here you will find everything you need to know – as well as your rights when making a complaint
The broadband, mobile, TV and landline providers that annoy most customers have been revealed – with one being labeled a ‘concern’ by Ofcom.
The regulator publishes complaint figures every three months to help people compare providers when they shop around – and to shame companies into improving their customer service.
The regulator found that between October and December 2022, Shell Energy had the most complaints for both broadband and fixed telephony.
The company had 27 complaints per 100,000 broadband customers and 25 complaints per 100,000 regular users.
Communication breakdown: Regulator Ofcom’s latest complaint figures show which companies consumers will have had the most problems with by the end of 2022
Shell also registered the most complaints for both categories in the previous quarter, July through September 2022.
An Ofcom statement said: ‘We remain concerned about Shell Energy’s continued high complaint volumes.
“We have been in close contact with the provider about its plans to improve customer service and expect to see the results of this in the coming months.”
| Company | Complaints per 100,000 customers |
|---|---|
| Shell Energy | 27 |
| Vodafone | 19 |
| gossip | 18 |
| virgin media | 14 |
| BT | 10 |
| NOW broadband | 10 |
| Plusnet | 10 |
| EE | 7 |
| Sky | 5 |
| Source: Ofcom | |
A spokesman for Shell Energy said: ‘We always strive to learn from cases where a customer feels let down.
Ofcom’s table reflects our position up to six months ago and we have since invested heavily and made great progress in our customer service and complaints procedures.
“We are confident that these improvements will be reflected when Ofcom releases its next set of figures.”
BT Mobile received the most mobile complaints, albeit only four per 100,000 customers.
| Company | Complaints per 100,000 customers |
|---|---|
| BT mobile | 4 |
| Virgin Mobile | 3 |
| O2 | 3 |
| ID mobile | 2 |
| Vodafone | 2 |
| Three | 2 |
| tesco mobile | 2 |
| EE | 2 |
| Heaven Mobile | 1 |
| Source: Ofcom | |
Meanwhile, Virgin Media received the most complaints about pay TV, as eight of the 100,000 people who signed up with the company had a problem during that period.
A spokesman for Virgin Media O2 said: ‘Our number one priority is serving our customers. We invest in every part of our business to create an excellent customer experience, with complaints across the board in the last three months of last year.
“We know we can – and will – do more to improve the service we provide, resolve issues quickly and efficiently, and make it easier for our customers to get help and support when they need it.”
Overall, the number of complaints received by Ofcom in the period was similar to the previous three months, although there was a slight increase in the number of broadband complaints.
Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch, said: “Given the massive shift to remote working in recent years, it is unacceptable that outages, service and remote resupply remain the industry’s most commonly complained about broadband issues – 44 percent.
“With millions of consumers facing major price hikes in 2023, they should at least expect a service they can fully rely on.”
| Company | Complaints per 100,000 customers |
|---|---|
| Shell Energy | 25 |
| gossip | 11 |
| Vodafone | 8 |
| virgin media | 7 |
| Plusnet | 7 |
| BT | 6 |
| NOW broadband | 5 |
| EE | 3 |
| Sky | 2 |
| Source: Ofcom | |
The latest complaint figures end in December 2022, meaning they do not take into account the large price increases for broadband and mobile in late March and early April 2023.
These prices rose by up to 17.3 per cent and could lead to a rise in customer complaints in the next set of figures – as Ofcom accepts disputes over prices.
How to complain about your broadband, telephone or TV provider
Relatively few people bother to complain to their communications provider, even if they have poor service.
You cannot complain directly to Ofcom.
Instead, first submit your complaint to your broadband, fixed, mobile or TV provider.
If you still haven’t received a response after eight weeks, or you’re not satisfied with the response you received, you can escalate the issue to an ombudsman.
There are two ombudsmen approved by Ofcom: ombudsman services and the Legal regulation for communication and internet services.
Your provider is a member of one of these, so check first.
The ombudsman then looks at your case and an investigator must make a decision within six weeks.
You can then accept the outcome or appeal.