UK broadband complaints have hit a record low – here’s who customers still complain about most
Key Points
- Ofcom recorded six broadband complaints per 100,000 customers in Q1 2026, the lowest figure since records began and down from a peak of 40 in 2011
- TalkTalk was the most complained-about broadband provider, with Plusnet and Sky receiving the fewest complaints
- Sky Mobile topped the mobile complaints table despite Sky's broadband arm performing best, with switching problems the main gripe
- EE and Virgin Media generated the most pay-TV complaints, while Plusnet and TalkTalk drew the most landline complaints
- Ofcom credits end-of-contract alerts, simpler contract summaries and easier switching for the long-term fall
Complaints about UK broadband providers have fallen to six per 100,000 customers, the lowest level Ofcom has recorded since it began tracking the figures.
The regulator’s latest quarterly data, covering January to March 2026, shows broadband complaints have collapsed from a peak of 40 per 100,000 customers in 2011 to an all-time low of six.
Complaints across landline, broadband, mobile and pay-TV all fell compared with the final quarter of 2025. Ofcom credits competitive telecoms markets, continued network investment and a run of pro-switching reforms for the decline.
The regulator cannot act on individual complaints, but it uses the data to spot systemic problems across the sector and to give customers a way of comparing providers on service quality rather than price alone.
TalkTalk stays bottom of the broadband table
TalkTalk generated the most broadband complaints of any major provider in the quarter, with volumes holding at similar levels to the previous three months.
Customers complained mostly about faults, service and provisioning, complaints handling, and billing, pricing and charges. Plusnet and Sky attracted the fewest fixed broadband complaints.
TalkTalk also shared the unwanted top spot in the landline rankings with Plusnet, and both providers saw landline complaints rise quarter on quarter. EE, Sky, Utility Warehouse, Virgin Media and Vodafone received the fewest landline complaints.
Sky tops one table and bottoms another
Sky recorded the fewest broadband complaints and ranked among the least complained-about pay-TV providers, yet Sky Mobile generated more complaints than any other mobile operator in the same period.
Customers mostly complained about their experiences changing provider. EE, Giffgaff, Tesco Mobile, Three and Vodafone attracted the fewest mobile complaints.
EE showed a similar split. It sat among the best performers for landline and mobile but ranked as one of the two most complained-about pay-TV providers alongside Virgin Media.
EE’s pay-TV customers complained mostly about how the company handled their complaints, while Virgin Media’s complained about billing, pricing and charges. Sky and TalkTalk received the fewest pay-TV complaints.
Ofcom warns against complacency
Cristina Luna-Esteban, Ofcom’s Director of Consumers and Retail Markets, said the figures should not slow providers down.
“It’s encouraging to see broadband complaints falling to their lowest levels since our records began, companies must not be complacent and we expect them to continually strive to improve their services and deliver a great customer experience,” she said.
Luna-Esteban pointed unhappy customers towards the exit.
“We’d encourage any customers who aren’t satisfied with their current provider to vote with their feet. In recent years, we’ve made it easier than ever for people to shop around and save, by introducing end-of-contract alerts, simpler contract summaries, and easier switching processes for broadband and mobile,” she said.
End-of-contract alerts tell customers when their deal is ending and what they could pay instead, contract summaries set out key terms in plain language before signup, and the One Touch Switch process lets broadband customers move provider through a single contact with their new supplier.Ofcom publishes the complaints league tables every three months, and the next release will cover April to June 2026.
