OFCOM report highlights broadband customer service failings
We examine where broadband providers are failing on customer service, based on a review by the industry regulator.
There’s often a temptation when buying a product or signing up to a service to assume everything will proceed smoothly.
It’s why car buyers ignore reliability surveys, why consumers still buy electrical equipment from unfamiliar brands, and why price is often the main factor behind choosing an ISP.
After many years of sourcing some of the best broadband deals and discounts on the UK market, we know cost is important.
Yet the relationship between service provider and consumer is critical.
Not only does it affect the likelihood of bills being correct and services being reliable, it also quantifies how companies deal with problems when they arise.
Industry regulator Ofcom publishes a biennial study of customer issues across the broadband, phone and mobile markets.
Among many other metrics, this gives us a unique insight into where ISPs fail on customer service – in turn helping to inform your choice of future service providers…
Where do ISPs fail on customer service?
To answer that, we need to consider the various elements Ofcom analyse in their study, which is only published once every two years and consequently carries considerable weight.
It looks at the following elements:
- Service quality.
- Installation wait times.
- Centre call waiting times.
- Levels of customer complaints.
- Efficacy of fault repairs.
- Compensation levels.
These factors are calculated using a variety of metrics, including registered complaints, ISP-supplied data and consumer research.
We’ve disregarded the mobile phone sections of Ofcom’s analysis, to focus on the aspects of most significance to broadband users.
While Plusnet ranked highest in terms of consumer satisfaction with its broadband services, achieving a score of 91 per cent, TalkTalk finished bottom on a 77 per cent average.
Hull-based monopoly holder KCOM took the longest to answer incoming broadband-related phone calls at almost eight minutes, whereas Vodafone answered within 25 seconds on average.
Curiously, levels of satisfaction with landline phones (often bundled into broadband contracts or required as part of a deal) fell to 73 per cent, down from 77 per cent two years ago.
Also falling was the percentage of new orders delivered on time, again standing at 73 per cent in 2025 compared to 80 per cent two years ago.
As is often the case in customer surveys, Virgin Media performed poorly, competing with TalkTalk for the worst reliability scores and highest percentage of customers making complaints.
Its score for complaint handling satisfaction was a lowest-in-survey 53 per cent, while Vodafone – a serial offender in the past – achieved a 63 per cent score and fewer overall complaints.
Viewing the positives
The industry-wide satisfaction score averaged 84 per cent, indicating a welcome two-point increase from the 2023 survey.
Pleasingly for its many customers, BT ranked above average in terms of speed, reliability and overall service, as did its sister brand EE.
Overall, less than a quarter of broadband customers had any reason to complain about either their provider or the service they’re receiving, which reflects positively on the industry.
The total number of reported faults (of any severity) per 1,000 customers has fallen to 44 per thousand, from 47 two years ago, and some of these issues will be outwith any ISP’s control.
Sky, TalkTalk and NOW TV all successfully completed over 90 per cent of orders by the agreed date.
Statistically, whichever ISP you sign up to, their overall service should be largely trouble-free – more so today than ever before.
