Key takeaways
Ofcom publishes quarterly data on complaints it receives about UK broadband, landline, mobile and pay-TV providers, measured per 100,000 subscribers. This is the most authoritative publicly available league table of telecoms provider service quality.
In Q1 2025, TalkTalk was the most complained-about broadband provider. Plusnet attracted the fewest broadband complaints. For mobile, O2, Three and iD Mobile were the most complained about. Sky and EE attracted the fewest mobile complaints.
Ofcom also publishes an annual Comparing Customer Service report (last published for 2024 data in 2025) covering customer satisfaction, complaints handling and reasons for dissatisfaction across all four sectors.
Ofcom cannot deal with individual complaints about telecoms providers -- it publishes aggregate data to inform consumers and to monitor systemic issues. Individual complaints should go to the provider first, then to the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS after 8 weeks if unresolved.
Overall complaint levels across all telecoms sectors reached their lowest or joint lowest levels on record in Q2 2025, according to Ofcom's Director of Consumers and Retail Markets.
Reviewed: June 2026Key facts
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What the Ofcom complaints data measures
Every quarter, Ofcom publishes data on the complaints it receives directly from consumers about UK broadband, landline, pay-monthly mobile and pay-TV services. The data is expressed as complaints per 100,000 subscribers for each provider, which normalises the figures for provider size -- a provider with 10 million customers is expected to generate more total complaints than one with one million customers, but the per-subscriber rate allows fair comparison.
The data reflects only complaints that consumers have sent directly to Ofcom -- not complaints raised with providers directly, with the Communications Ombudsman, with CISAS or with other bodies. As Ofcom notes, this means the figures represent a subset of total consumer dissatisfaction. A provider might have low Ofcom complaints but high Ombudsman complaints if its customers tend to escalate differently.
Despite this limitation, the quarterly complaints data is the most widely used public benchmark for comparing telecoms provider service quality. Ofcom publishes it specifically to help consumers choose providers and to create competitive pressure on poorly performing ones.
How to read the complaints data
The complaints league table ranks providers from fewest complaints (best) to most complaints (worst) per 100,000 subscribers. Ofcom applies a statistical significance test: where the measurable difference between providers' complaint rates is less than 1 per 100,000, Ofcom considers their results comparable rather than meaningfully different.
The data also includes the main drivers of complaints for the worst-performing providers -- such as issues with faults and service provisioning, billing and pricing, or how complaints are handled. This breakdown is more useful than the raw ranking for understanding what specific problems a provider has.
Q1 2025 results in detail
Fixed broadband
TalkTalk was the most complained-about fixed broadband provider in Q1 2025, with complaints driven by faults and service provisioning issues. TalkTalk has consistently attracted high complaints volumes across multiple quarters. Plusnet attracted the fewest broadband complaints -- consistent with its historic performance in Ofcom's data. Sky Broadband also attracted significantly fewer than average complaints, consistent across multiple quarters.
Landline
TalkTalk and EE were jointly the most complained-about landline providers in Q1 2025. Utility Warehouse attracted the fewest landline complaints -- it has performed well across multiple recent quarters, reflecting its managed approach to customer service as a utility bundle provider.
Pay-monthly mobile
O2, Three and iD Mobile were the most complained-about mobile providers in Q1 2025. The complaint drivers varied: O2's complaints were mainly about complaint handling processes; Three's about billing and pricing issues; iD Mobile's about faults and provisioning. Sky Mobile, EE and Tesco Mobile attracted the fewest mobile complaints.
Pay TV
Virgin Media was the most complained-about pay-TV provider, with complaint handling as the main driver. Sky and TalkTalk attracted the fewest pay-TV complaints.
The annual Comparing Customer Service report
Alongside the quarterly complaints data, Ofcom publishes an annual Comparing Customer Service report. The 2025 report (covering 2024 data) provides a broader picture of customer satisfaction: not just complaints, but how well providers handle them, how quickly issues are resolved, and what customers are dissatisfied about. The report covers the same four sectors and breaks down satisfaction by issue type.
The Comparing Customer Service report also tracks changes over time -- whether satisfaction is improving or declining at specific providers. This longitudinal perspective is more useful for identifying genuine service quality trends than any single quarterly snapshot.
Ofcom enforcement based on complaints data
Ofcom uses complaints data as one input into its regulatory monitoring. Where complaints data consistently highlights a provider, Ofcom may open a formal investigation. In one significant case, Ofcom required BT to refund or credit 18 million pounds to customers following enforcement action -- an outcome that arose partly from complaints data identifying systematic billing failures.
Ofcom can also use complaints data to trigger compliance investigations under the General Conditions of Entitlement. Providers found to have systemic complaint handling failures can face formal enforcement action including financial penalties.
How to complain about your telecoms provider
The correct escalation path for a telecoms complaint is: first, use your provider's formal complaints process. Ofcom requires all providers to have a complaints code of practice and to resolve complaints within 8 weeks. If your complaint is not resolved after 8 weeks -- or if the provider issues a deadlock letter -- you can escalate to the Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme your provider belongs to. Most residential providers belong to either the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS. Ofcom publishes a list of which providers belong to which scheme.
Ofcom itself does not resolve individual disputes. If you report an issue to Ofcom, your information contributes to its monitoring data but you will not receive a direct resolution through Ofcom.
Related guides
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only. Kael Tripton Ltd is not regulated by the FCA. Sources: Ofcom, legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK. Verify at ofcom.org.uk.
Frequently asked questions
Which broadband provider gets the most Ofcom complaints?
TalkTalk has been the most complained-about broadband provider in multiple recent quarters of Ofcom data. In Q1 2025, TalkTalk topped the complaints table for both fixed broadband and landline. Ofcom publishes quarterly complaints data per 100,000 subscribers at ofcom.org.uk -- the most recent quarter's data is always available there.
Which broadband provider gets the fewest Ofcom complaints?
Plusnet consistently attracts the fewest fixed broadband complaints in Ofcom's quarterly data. Sky Broadband also consistently attracts significantly fewer complaints than the industry average. For landline, Utility Warehouse has performed well in recent quarters. For mobile, Sky Mobile, EE and Tesco Mobile regularly appear at the low end of the complaints table.
Does Ofcom handle individual complaints?
No. Ofcom publishes aggregate complaints data to monitor the market and inform consumers, but it does not resolve individual disputes. For an individual complaint about your broadband or mobile provider, use your provider's complaints process first. If unresolved after 8 weeks, escalate to the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS (depending on which scheme your provider belongs to).
How often does Ofcom publish complaints data?
Ofcom publishes telecoms and pay-TV complaints data quarterly -- four times a year. Each publication covers a three-month period (Q1: January-March, Q2: April-June, Q3: July-September, Q4: October-December). There is typically a lag of several months between the end of the quarter and publication. Ofcom also publishes an annual Comparing Customer Service report.
What does complaints per 100,000 subscribers mean?
Ofcom expresses complaints as a rate per 100,000 subscribers to allow fair comparison between providers of different sizes. A provider with 10 million customers would generate more total complaints than one with 500,000 customers even if both had identical service quality. The per-subscriber rate normalises for this, meaning the data reflects the likelihood of a customer complaining rather than the total number.
What are the main reasons people complain to Ofcom about broadband?
The main complaints drivers for broadband are: faults and service provisioning (connection problems, slow speeds, service outages), billing and pricing issues (unexpected charges, price rises), and how complaints are handled (providers not responding adequately or within required timeframes). Ofcom's quarterly reports break down the main drivers for the worst-performing providers.
How do I use Ofcom's complaints data to choose a broadband provider?
Check the most recent quarterly complaints report at ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/service-quality. Look at complaints per 100,000 subscribers for fixed broadband for the providers available in your area. Providers consistently at the low end of the table (Plusnet, Sky, Utility Warehouse) have a track record of fewer complaints. Also check the annual Comparing Customer Service report for a broader view of satisfaction.
What enforcement action has Ofcom taken based on complaints?
Ofcom used complaints data as part of the evidence leading to enforcement action requiring BT to refund or credit 18 million pounds to customers for billing failures. Ofcom can open formal investigations when complaints data reveals systemic provider failures and can impose fines on providers that breach General Condition C4 (complaints handling) requirements.
