Ofcom complaints: how your internet, mobile or pay TV provider ranks

According to the latest figures, TalkTalk tops the league table for most complained-about fixed broadband provider in the UK.

In the quarter to September 2024, there were 14 complaints to Ofcom for every 100,000 TalkTalk customers. The industry average for that quarter was 10.^[1]

TalkTalk also had an above-average level of complaints about their landline services: eight for every 100,000 customers, compared to an industry average of five.

At the other end of the scale, Sky was the least-complained-about provider of fixed-line broadband, with five complaints per 100,000 customers.

These are all small numbers compared to total customers. But the figures Ofcom publishes are just about the complaints it receives directly. Ofcom isn't responsible for handling relationships between providers and their customers or resolving complaints, so it only sees a tiny fraction of total broadband complaints.

Complaints to Ofcom: the context

• Most unhappy customers (whether it's a broadband provider or a bakery) don't complain at all
• Out of the customers who have a problem with a product or service, roughly 1 in 26 are motivated enough to complain^[2]
• Most complaints about broadband or phone services are made directly to the provider
• A small fraction of these complaints are escalated to dispute resolution services
• Ofcom has no power to help individual customers or resolve disputes - it just records complaints and publishes aggregate figures

Compare broadband deals

When you're comparing your broadband options, you're probably already looking at price, speed and contract length. It also pays to look at a provider's customer service rating (on independent sites like Trustpilot) and how many complaints Ofcom receives about it.

Who are Ofcom?

Ofcom is the regulator for everything to do with telecoms, broadcasting and postal services in the UK. (It's short for ’Office of Communications’.) Its job is to make sure those services run in a way that's fair and benefits consumers. Ofcom gets its powers from the government.

When you sign a new broadband or phone contract, the company will have followed Ofcom's rules to create that contract. When it comes to broadband, Ofcom decide on many things, including:

• How providers must back up their speed claims
• The maximum length of a contract (now two years - it used to be three)
• How providers communicate future price increases
• Your broadband cancellation rights

What can I complain to Ofcom about?

If you have a problem with your broadband or phone service, you should start by complaining directly to your provider.

As the regulator, Ofcom has more of a ’big picture’ role and can't step in to resolve individual complaints. They keep records of complaints, though, and publish them broken down by provider and by service.

Many people register complaints with Ofcom just to make sure that their poor experience goes into the statistics.

Some valid reasons for complaining to Ofcom are:

• To register your dissatisfaction with a provider (although Ofcom can't do anything to resolve your complaint)
• To complain about something that's been broadcast, like a TV programme or advert
• To notify them of harmful content on a video-sharing platform (like TikTok or Snapchat)
• To report nuisance phone calls where there's nobody on the other end

If you’re fed up with the service your provider gives you but are still within the minimum term of the contract, you can't just leave without going through a specific process (or you'll have to pay exit fees).

We've explored the best way to handle problems with your broadband service. Read on for our advice…and to find out how your broadband provider fared in Ofcom's most recent complaints league table.

How do I complain about my broadband?

If you have a problem with your broadband service, your first step is to contact your provider directly. If the issue is a one-off internet outage, they might be able to fix it straight away - or at least tell you what's going on and when you can expect your internet back.

Your secret weapon for broadband complaints

When you get in touch with your broadband provider, always make a note of it. Grab a notepad, open a document on your computer or record it in the notes app on your phone.

Scribbling or typing a note won't take more than a minute or two and you can do some of it while you're on the call, on hold, or waiting for someone to answer on webchat.

You just need to write down:

• The date and time of the contact
• What you were complaining about or seeking help with
• The name of the person you spoke to (if possible)
• What the outcome was

Do this even if the problem is resolved straight away. For example:

• 10 May 2025. Rang Vodafone about intermittent WiFi signal. Spoke to Lee who suggested power-cycling router. Signal now seems OK.

Every time you get in touch, add a note of the conversation in the same place as your previous notes.

Your notes won't be needed if the problem is a one-off that gets fixed for good. But if you end up repeatedly contacting your provider, you'll be building up a record of all the times you've reported a problem. This is useful for:

• Helping the provider to troubleshoot issues
• Showing the provider that this is an ongoing problem
• Giving evidence if you need to claim compensation

Complaining about slow speeds

If the problem is a snail-like connection, try our suggested fixes for slow internet speeds before you contact your provider. Your broadband tech help will probably ask you to run through these fixes anyway as they try to diagnose the problem.

If you signed up for a deal with reasonably good speeds, you don't have to put up with slow broadband. Not everybody will get the headline speeds advertised for the broadband package, but there will be a guaranteed minimum speed in the terms and conditions of your contract. Your provider has to give you a connection speed that's at or above this minimum.

If your broadband provider is not delivering the minimum speeds, they have to fix the problem within 30 days or allow you to leave them without paying an exit fee. Then you're free to shop around for a new broadband deal.

Of course, it's not quite that simple. You'll need proof. We suggest using our broadband speed checker to see what speed you're getting. Take screenshots and keep them all in the same place. If they show a pattern of unacceptably slow speeds over a period of days, this is evidence that you can use in your conversations with your provider.

Can you simply leave a bad broadband provider?

If the minimum term of your contract is up, it's easy to leave. The new One Touch Switch system means you don't have to tell your provider you're leaving - just sign up with the new one and let them handle it.

If you're still within the minimum term, it's more complicated because your provider normally has the right to charge you a penalty for ending the contract early. But if they aren't delivering the promised service, this gives you an opening to negotiate an early exit without paying the fees.

You'll need to contact your provider and get them to agree to this. If they don't, you can escalate your case to the dispute resolution service. Our guide to your broadband cancellation rights has more information.

Which providers have had the most Ofcom complaints?

Ofcom publishes its complaints data every three months. It takes a few months to gather and publish the data, so the complaints data for Q3 2024 (July to September) came out in February 2025. As of April 2025 this is the most recent data we have.

Below are the rankings for July to September 2024, going from worst to best.

Ofcom contact details

If you'd like Ofcom to record a complaint from you, there's a form on their website: Ofcom complaints form. Or you can ring them on 0300 123 3333 or 020 7981 3040.

If you're deaf, there's a text relay app or a video relay service where you can contact them using British Sign Language.

Ofcom prefers you to contact them by webform or phone, but if you'd prefer to write to them you can find a postal address on their website.

The Ofcom complaints process

If you choose the webform option to complain to Ofcom, they'll first:

• Suggest some common fixes and diagnostics for broadband service failures
• Tell you to contact your provider directly
• Explain about dispute resolution

Then they'll take you to the actual monitoring form where you can tell them about your issue.

You'll get an acknowledgement but, from your point of view, nothing will happen as a result of complaining to Ofcom. They'll use the information you've provided to compile their statistics, but they probably won't contact you again.

Can I get compensation for broadband?

You are entitled to the service that your broadband supplier promises in your contract. If you're not getting that, you could get compensation - or at least the right to leave your contract early.

When you're complaining to your provider and trying to get the problem resolved, remember to:

• Be polite
• Be specific about what the problem is and what you want
• Answer questions as best you can
• Carry out any diagnostics they ask you do (like telling them what light is flashing on the router)
• Make a note of the conversation, as we've explained above

How to complain about your broadband provider

If your provider can't or won't resolve the issue, you can escalate the problem to formal dispute resolution. That still doesn't mean getting Ofcom involved - Ofcom is not a dispute resolution service or an arbitrator of complaints.

The dispute resolution service will expect your complaint to be specific and backed up by evidence. Here's where your notes about your contact with the provider will come in handy. Give the dates when problems happened and when you contacted the provider.

Before you can move to dispute resolution, you'll need a deadlock letter from your broadband provider. Find out more in our guide to how to complain about broadband.

What about fixed line home broadband complaints

Ofcom categorises its quarterly complaints records by the type of service people are complaining about. The ’fixed broadband’ category includes all types of fixed-line home broadband: full fibre, part fibre, cable and ADSL.

You've read that TalkTalk are the worst offenders for Q3 of 2024, with 14 complaints per 100,000 for fixed-line broadband. The numbers could have been even worse.

In 2024 TalkTalk took over the customers from the now-defunct Shell Energy Broadband. Ofcom didn't include Shell-related complaints in its total for TalkTalk. If it had combined the complaints for Shell and TalkTalk and come up with an average figure per 100,000 customers, this would have been 15.37.

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[1] Ofcom, Report: Complaints about broadband, landline, mobile and pay-TV services, data from Q3 of 2024

[2] Huffington Post, 50 Important Customer Experience Stats for Business Leaders