UK broadband and mobile providers ranked best to worst based on customer service – where is YOURS on the list?

The Sun

21-05-2025

THE best and worst broadband and mobile providers for customer service have been revealed by the regulator.
All major providers were ranked on how pleased customers were with the service.
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O2, which has millions of customers was rated below average when it came to customer satisfaction for mobile providers.
The telecoms giant fell below the sector average when it comes to customer satisfaction as it scored 85% and the average is 88%
Last year, the firm also generated the most complaints, when it had 21 complaints per 100,000 customers.
The second worst ranked mobile provider was Vodafone who had a score of 84% when it came to how pleased users were with it's service.
The pair were trumped by Tesco Mobile and giffgaff, which both 94% for overall satisfaction.
Tesco Mobile also led in satisfaction with complaints handling and generated the fewest complaints to Ofcom, when it had just four complaints per 100,000 customers.
However, Ofcom said that the average number of complaints reduced in 2024 across all providers.
Elsewhere, the average call waiting time for mobile customers decreased in 2024, from 2mins 24s in 2023 to 1min 52s in 2024.
Ofcom said Lebara had the shortest average call waiting time in 2024 at 15s while O2's was the longest, at 3min 27s.
Moving on to broadband and TalkTalk had a lower-than-average overall satisfaction score of 77% and also ranked poorly for complaints handling.
However, NOW Broadband, which is owned by Sky, generated the most broadband complaints to Ofcom at 65 per 100,000 customer.
O2 Ends Pay-As-You-Go Data and iPad SIM Services: What You Need to Know
Virgin Media generated the second highest number of fixed broadband complaints per 100,000 customers, at 56.
While EE was the third most complained-about broadband provider last year with 52 complaints per 100,000.
Plusnet achieved the highest overall satisfaction score at 91%, when it came to broadband.
When it came to landline, Plusnet also had the highest overall satisfaction score at 83%.
Meanwhile, Virgin Media customers were less pleased with the service giving the provider a rating of 67%.
Ian Macrae, Ofcom's director of market intelligence, said: "Call waiting times have come down for many providers and satisfaction with complaint handling is on the up.
"And we're seeing competition in action, with smaller players challenging some of the bigger, well-established providers."
He added: "But there's further to go. Not all companies have made the same progress and it's still taking the industry too long to fix things when they go wrong."
A Virgin Media O2 spokesperson said: 'Ofcom's report shows that the vast majority of our customers were satisfied with their services in 2024, and highlights some improvements that have been made – including on complaints handling.
'While today's data relates to the whole of 2024, we know from the regulator's most recent statistics that the turnaround strategy we implemented in the middle of last year has led to significant improvements, with complaints about Virgin Media and O2 now at their lowest levels for several years."
They added: "We're continuing to make real progress through this strategy and we're committed to giving our customers the best possible experience.'
How to complain about your service
If you're unhappy with the service you've received, you'll first need to contact your provider's customer services department and explain the problem.
If this doesn't resolve the issue, you can make a formal complaint to the company.
You can find details on how to do this on the back of your bill or on the company's website.
Depending on your complaint type, you'll be able to contact the customer service team by web chat, telephone or by post.
You'll need to let the company know what has happened and what you want it to do to put things right.
If a formal complaint gets you nowhere, after eight weeks you can ask for a "deadlock letter" and take your dispute to the appropriate Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme.
These are free to use and will act as an independent middle man between yourself and the service provider when an initial complaint cannot be resolved.
There are two ADR schemes in the UK - the Communications Ombudsman and CISAS.
Your provider is required to be a member of one of these and you can find out which one your provider is covered by visiting ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/service-quality/adr-schemes.
Before you can submit your complaint to it, you must have logged a formal complaint with your provider and worked with the firm to resolve it.
You must also have received a so-called deadlock letter, where the provider refers your complaint to the appropriate ADR.
You can also complain if you haven't had a satisfactory solution to your problem within eight weeks.
To make a complaint fill in the ADR scheme claims form on its website - or write a letter if you'd prefer.
The ADR scheme then bases its decision on the evidence you and the company submit.
If you choose to accept its decision, your supplier will then have 28 days to comply.
But if an individual chooses not to accept the ADR's final decision, they lose the right to the resolution offer.
CUT YOUR TELECOM COSTS
By James Flanders, Chief Consumer Reporter
Switching contracts is one of the single best ways to save money on your mobile, broadband and TV bills.
But if you can't switch mid-contract without facing a penalty, you'd be best to hold off until it's up for renewal.
But don't just switch contracts because the price is cheaper than what you're currently paying.
Take a look at your minutes and texts, as well as your data usage, to find out which deal is best for you.
For example, if you're a heavy internet user, it's worth finding a deal that accommodates this so you don't have to spend extra on bundles or add-ons each month.
In the weeks before your contract is up, use comparison sites to familiarise yourself with what deals are available.
It's a known fact that new customers always get the best deals.
Sites like MoneySuperMarket and Uswitch all help you customise your search based on price, allowances and provider.
This should make it easier to decide whether to renew your contract or move to another provider.
However, if you don't want to switch and are happy with the service you're getting under your current provider - haggle for a better deal.
You can still make significant savings by renewing your contract rather than rolling on to the tariff you're given after your deal.
If you need to speak to a company on the phone, be sure to catch them at the right time.
Make some time to negotiate with your provider in the morning.
This way, you have a better chance of being the first customer through on the phone, and the rep won't have worked tirelessly through previous calls which may have affected their stress levels.
It pays to be polite when getting through to someone on the phone, as representatives are less inclined to help rude or aggressive customers.
Knowing what other offers are on the market can help you to make a case for yourself to your provider.
If your provider won't haggle, you can always threaten to leave.
Companies don't want to lose customers and may come up with a last-minute offer to keep you.
It's also worth investigating social tariffs. These deals have been created for people who are receiving certain benefits.