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Looking to switch to a new broadband deal in the Black Friday sales? The blockbuster sales event is still a fortnight away, but that hasn't stopped brands like Sky Broadband, EE, and Plusnet all offering price cuts to full-fibre broadband — and Virgin Media offering free broadband until early next year.
But if you're considering a new 18- or 24-month contract, the latest data from Ofcom reveals which broadband supplier you might want to serve. Yes, industry regulator Ofcom has named and shamed the most-complained-about broadband suppliers in the UK, and it's grim reading for anyone thinking about joining NOW, formerly NOW TV.
NOW Broadband has emerged as the worst-performing internet provider nationwide over the last financial quarter, racking up 18 complaints per 100,000 customers between April and June this year. That places it firmly at the bottom of the list, with the second-worst performer managing 15 complaints per 100,000 subscribers.
Fibre broadband engineers from Openreach, the infrastructure arm of BT work on a fibre cable junction in central LondonPAThe majority of NOW Broadband's complaints stemmed from perceived poor handling of customer service complaints, with 38% of all grievances levied against the brand to Ofcom falling into this category.
Owned and operated by Sky, NOW offers 24-month broadband deals as well as a contract-free way to stream live channels and boxsets. Worse still, this is not the first time that NOW has been spotlighted by Ofcom for its record-breaking customer complaints.
This is how NOW compares to other major UK broadband providers in the latest Ofcom report, based on the number of complaints it recieved per 100,000 subscribers —
These figures cover the period between April and June 2024, with lowest number of complaints per 100,000 customers indicating the most reliable, or least-complained-about performance from the broadband supplier.
As the latest ranking shows, Virgin Media emerged as the second most-complained about provider with 15 complaints per 100,000, followed by EE with 14 complaints. Across the industry, 35% of all complaints made to Ofcom were related to faults, servicing and provisioning issues, while 19% concerned billing, pricing and charges.
Virgin Media O2 owns its own full-fibre broadband network, which is connected to some 16 million homes
VIRGIN MEDIA O2 PRESS OFFICEIt's worth noting this latest research only concerns complaints made to Ofcom. Subscribers are likely to have complained to customer service representatives from the broadband providers themselves, but not taken any further action — or escalated to Ofcom. So it's possible there are more complaints than listed by Ofcom above.
If you're looking for a silver lining (as opposed to a different broadband supplier...) these new Ofcom figures reveal a downward trend, with complaints about household broadband falling compared to the previous quarter.
Discussing the latest findings, Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com, noted: "It’s encouraging to see that the overall volume of broadband complaints has decreased across most providers.
"While NOW Broadband is once again the most complained about broadband provider, the decline in the number of complaints it has received this quarter shows signs that the provider is listening to feedback.
“With many providers set to raise prices next year — yet again — and the recent launch of One-Touch Switch making broadband switching even easier, providers with dissatisfied customers need to be on their toes now more than ever to avoid losing customers."
For those who don't know, One Touch Switch is an Ofcom-mandated new system that means broadband customers will be able to move between full-fibre networks without hassle. You'll only need to contact the new supplier to initiate the change, with them handling all aspects of the switch, including terminating the existing contract and organising the installation date for the new broadband supplier.
Switching between broadband providers that run on different networks is now as hassle-free as switching from BT to EE, or any other brands that rely on the same full-fibre cables
GETTY IMAGESThe streamlined new sign-up process eliminates the need for you to give 30 days' notice to the existing provider. Not only that, but it removes the stress of trying to sync-up the cut-off date from the old provider to the installation date from the new broadband firm — minimising the time without an internet connection.
Billing and activation dates will now be coordinated between the broadband operators in the background, further reducing the administrative burden. Best of all, if your new internet provider is unable to connect you on the date agreed, you’ll receive compensation. There's no need to take action, the money is sent automatically.
If all of that sounds familiar, it's likely because this has always been how moving between brands that rely on BT-owned Openreach's network (Sky, BT, EE, TalkTalk, Plusnet) has worked... but jumping between any of these providers and one with its own infrastructure (Virgin Media, Hyperoptic, Community Fibre) took a lot more work.
As well as shining a spotlight on the most-complained-about broadband suppliers, Ofcom's latest report also revealed significant variations in customer satisfaction across mobile providers. The regulator's data shows that complaints about pay-monthly mobile services decreased between April and June 2024.
However, some providers continue to struggle with customer service quality.
Ofcom data from the last three months shows that O2 customers have complained at 8x the rate of Tesco Mobile subscribers — and twice the rate it received at the beginning of last year
OFCOM PRESS OFFICE
The figures paint a clear picture of which mobile networks are performing well and which are falling short of customer expectations. Like the broadband sector, how providers handle complaints remains a crucial factor in customer satisfaction levels.
Here's how UK mobile providers compare for complaints per 100,000 customers:
Tesco Mobile is slightly ahead of the pack, with EE and Vodafone following in a joint Silver Medal position as the least complained-about mobile providers for the last financial quarter, according to data from the regulator.
O2 stands out as the most complained-about mobile provider, with eight complaints per 100,000 customers — that's 8x more than the top performer, Tesco Mobile. The figures show O2's complaints have doubled since early 2023, with most issues relating to how they handle customer grievances.
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Sky's strong performance extends beyond broadband, with the company receiving just one complaint per 100,000 customers for its pay-TV service. This consistent performance across services highlights the stark contrast between providers who manage customer relations well and those struggling to meet expectations.
Fergal Farragher, Ofcom Policy Director, said: "While complaints numbers remained broadly the same during this quarter, we’re pleased to see slight falls in complaints across some of the services covered by these figures. Communications services are now essential to our daily lives and customers deserve a high level of service. We call on providers to improve their performance in areas in which they are currently falling short."
