Best and worst telecoms customer service revealed Add to Your Pages
30 April 2019
Ofcom shines a light on major broadband and phone companies performance
TalkTalk broadband customers are less likely than average to be satisfied with their service
Giffgaff and Tesco Mobile more likely to be recommended by customers than the biggest four mobile firms
Ofcom today reveals which broadband and phone companies get the best and worst satisfaction scores from their customers.
Our report gives independent insights into the customer service provided by the UK's major telecoms firms. It is based on detailed customer research and industry data.
Broadband satisfactionOverall, 83% of broadband customers are satisfied with their service (similar to last year: 80%), while 13% had reason to complain in 2018 (down from 15% in 2017).[1]
TalkTalk scores below the industry average on several measures, with its broadband customers less likely to be satisfied with their overall service and less likely to recommend their provider to a friend.
TalkTalk customers are also more likely to have a reason to complain, less likely to have their complaint resolved on first contact, and less likely be satisfied with how their complaint is handled.
Across the industry, satisfaction with complaints handling could be improved only around half of those who make a complaint are satisfied with how it is handled. However, Sky broadband customers are less likely than average to have reason to complain, and more likely to be satisfied with how their complaint is handled.
Mobile satisfaction
Ninety-three per cent of mobile customers are satisfied with their overall service (similar to last year: 91%), with a small proportion (3%) saying they are unhappy.
Giffgaff and Tesco Mobile customers are more likely to recommend their provider to a friend. Their customers also have above-average satisfaction with value for money (97% for giffgaff and 92% for Tesco Mobile, compared to an 87% average).
Vodafone customers, on the other hand, are less likely to be satisfied with value for money (82%), while Virgin Mobile customers have below-average satisfaction with how their complaint is handled. Both companies are also less likely to resolve complaints on first contact.
However, satisfaction with mobile reception is increasing across the board (87%, up from 84% last year). Ofcom's mobile coverage checker lets people easily see how estimated coverage levels compare across the UK and among different providers.
Complaints to OfcomComplaints to Ofcom about broadband firms fell by 23% last year, from 75 complaints per 100,000 customers on average in 2017, to 58 in 2018. Most companies ended 2018 better than (or broadly the same as) they started the year.
However, complaints about Plusnet owned by BT more than doubled in the last quarter of 2018. In that period, the company experienced issues with a new billing system it launched.
Complaints to Ofcom about mobile companies fell by 15% last year from 20 complaints per 100,000 customers on average, to 17 last year.
For the first time, Sky Mobile is included in the mobile league table and enters with the fewest complaints. This means Sky is the least-complained about provider across all four services broadband, landline, mobile and pay TV.[2]
Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom's Consumer Group Director, said: Shabby service can be more than just frustrating; it can have a big impact on people and small businesses who rely on being connected.
When you're shopping around for a phone or broadband service, quality can be just as important as price. This information can help buyers make the right decision.
Fairness for customers
As well as arming customers with the information they need to choose the provider that's best for them, Ofcom is also working to improve service quality by introducing:
money back for broadband and landline customers when things go wrong, from this month;
clear, honest information for broadband shoppers before they commit to a contract about what speeds they will get, from last month;
a price cap on directory enquiry (118) numbers, from this month;
a major new information campaign and website, Boost Your Broadband, to help people get faster broadband and save money; and
easier switching for mobile customers, which comes into effect by 1 July.
We have also set out plans to make companies tell people when their contracts are coming to an end, and what their best available deals are. And we are reviewing broadband companies' pricing practices, examining why some people pay more than others, and how mobile operators charge for handsets when these are bundled with airtime.
NOTES TO EDITORS1. Satisfaction with overall service, for broadband and mobile, is not statistically different from last year.
2. The actual measurable difference between some complaints figures per 100,000 subscribers is less than one, so EE's landline result should be considered comparable to Sky's, as should Tesco Mobile's and Sky's results in the pay-monthly mobile sector.
3. We interviewed around 19,000 UK adults in total:
9,517 about complaints handling, via an online panel.
2,547 about customer satisfaction, face-to-face, plus a further 831 online.
6,399 about reasons to complain, face-to-face.
4. Overviews of data for each market are below. Red or green shading indicates significantly lower or higher than the sector average; and arrows indicate significantly lower or higher than the previous year.
Broadband
Landline telephone
Mobile
CONTACTHarry Rippon
harry.rippon@ofcom.org.uk
0300 123 1795
Add to Your Pages
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
12/05/2026
CVP, one of Europe's leading suppliers of professional video and broadcast solutions, has appointed Randy Koeman as Sales Manager, Netherlands, marking anot...
12/05/2026
Taiwan Television has expanded its HD content ingest workflow capabilities by investing in the PlayBox Neo Suite - a leading multi-channel multi-server UHD/HD/S...
12/05/2026
Jigsaw24 is strengthening its media team with the appointment of Tom Laker as Client Director and Ashish Chauhan as Project Manager. These strategic hires bring...
12/05/2026
Broadcast playout leader showcases hybrid IP infrastructure and workflow automation with Videoland deployment as regional benchmark...
12/05/2026
dzjinius, the all-in-one production management platform for the media and entertainment industry, will showcase its centralised approach to production workflows...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
Best and worst telecoms customer service revealed Add to Your Pages 
