Report: Complaints about broadband, landline, mobile and pay-TV services

Phones and broadband Service quality Research, statistics and data
Published: 25 January 2024
Last updated: 1 May 2025

As the UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom receives complaints from customers about their landline, fixed broadband, pay-monthly mobile and pay-TV services.

To better understand the reasons for dissatisfaction among residential customers in our sectors, we compile that data and determine the number of complaints received by provider and by service. To compare the performance of providers, on a quarterly basis we publish the number of complaints that we received about them relative to the size of their customer bases (i.e. per 100,000 customers).

Overall trends

In the quarter from October to December (Q4 2024), complaints to Ofcom remained similar to the previous quarter (Q3 2024: July to September 2024). Complaints about fixed broadband, pay-monthly mobile, and pay-TV decreased and complaints about landline stayed the same.

  • The most complained about fixed broadband providers were NOW Broadband and TalkTalk. NOW Broadband saw an increase, and TalkTalk saw a decrease in their complaints per 100,000 subscribers compared to the previous quarter.
  • The least complained about fixed broadband providers were Plusnet and Sky.
  • NOW Broadband generated the most landline complaints. Complaints about NOW Broadband saw an increase from the previous quarter.
  • The least complained about landline provider was Utility Warehouse.
  • O2 generated the most pay-monthly mobile complaints. Customer complaints were primarily driven by how their complaints were handled.
  • EE, Sky Mobile and Tesco Mobile were the least complained about pay-monthly mobile providers.
  • The most complained about pay-TV providers were EE and Virgin Media. Customer complaints were predominantly due to experiences changing provider (EE), how their complaints were handled (EE) and problems with billing, pricing and charges (Virgin Media).
  • The least complained about pay-TV providers were Sky and TalkTalk.

See below for information about the comparability of certain providers’ number of complaints. Our background and methodology document goes into more detail.

The chart below shows the relative volume of complaints we have received for broadband, landline, pay-monthly mobile and pay-TV services. You can use the slider to filter by year.

Relative volume of complaints per 100,000 customers

Taking a year-on-year comparison, the relative volume of complaints about fixed broadband, landline, pay-monthly mobile, and pay-TV have all decreased.

For the best experience, expand to full screen (click on the button in the bottom right corner).

League tables & key complaints

Fixed broadband

Landline

Pay-monthly mobile

Pay-TV

Comparability of complaints per 100,000 customers

Where the actual measurable difference between providers’ number of complaints per 100,000 customers is less than 1, we consider their results to be comparable. Within the following sectors, we consider the listed providers to be comparable:

Fixed Broadband:

  1. Plusnet and Sky;
  2. Industry Average and BT; 
  3. BT and Vodafone; 
  4. Vodafone and Virgin Media;
  5. EE and TalkTalk; 
  6. TalkTalk and NOW Broadband.  

Landline:

  1. Vodafone and Plusnet; 
  2. Industry Average and Virgin Media;
  3. BT, TalkTalk and EE.

Pay-Monthly Mobile:

  1. Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile and EE;
  2. Sky Mobile, EE, Vodafone and Industry Average;
  3. Vodafone, Industry Average, Three and iD Mobile.

Pay-TV:

  1. Sky and TalkTalk; 
  2. EE and Virgin Media.

Overall complaints by sector

The chart below shows complaints for all providers in each of the four sectors.

For the best experience, expand to full screen (click on the button in the bottom right corner).

Comparing different providers

To compare two or more providers’ performance, select the service and then the providers you want to compare from the lists on the right.

For the best experience, expand to full screen (click on the button in the bottom right corner).

Complaints by provider

Compare complaints for a provider across multiple sectors by using the options on the right.  

For the best experience, expand to full screen (click on the button in the bottom right corner).

More information

The underlying data is available in CSV format. We also include overall trend data for pay-as-you-go mobile complaints.

You can also read the report’s background and methodology.

Older reports

Older reports are available via the National Archives.

Related content

Choosing the best mobile, broadband and landline provider

See how the UK's main mobile, broadband and home phone providers have performed on the quality of customer service.

How to get more from your broadband

You could get faster, cheaper broadband than your current deal. This guide will help you find out if you’re getting the best package for your needs.

Are you in or out of contract?

Millions of people are out of contract and could be getting a better deal on their phone, broadband and pay-TV contracts. Are you one of them?

Rate this page

Was this page helpful?
Back to top