Ofcom figures show that O2 is the mobile network with the most complaints, while Virgin Media is the most complained-about paid TV provider.
The figures cover the period from October to December 2024 and relate to how many customers of each firm have taken their complaint to the regulator, not solely complained to the company in question.
Ofcom calculated complaint figures per 100,000 customers to account for the differently sized customer bases of each supplier.
Separate research from Citizens Advice earlier this year showed that almost 35,500 people contacted Citizens Advice with a mobile or broadband issue in 2024 – with technical issues being the biggest complaint.
The most complained-about telecoms firms
Ofcom found that NOW Broadband and TalkTalk were the most complained-about broadband providers. There was a rise in complaints about NOW Broadband, while TalkTalk saw a decrease in complaints.
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NOW Broadband was also the landline provider that generated the most complaints, with complaints increasing on the previous quarter.
O2 was the mobile provider that generated the most complaints. Customers’ complaints were primarily driven by how their complaints were handled.
The most complained-about pay TV providers were EE and Virgin Media. EE customers’ complaints were predominantly due to experiences changing providers and how their complaints were handled. Meanwhile, Virgin Media customers mostly complained about problems with billing, pricing and charges.
Number of complaints falling
Overall, during the period examined, the number of complaints remained similar to the previous quarter (July to September 2024).
Complaints about broadband, mobile, and pay TV decreased slightly, while complaints about landline services stayed the same.
Fergal Farragher, Ofcom’s policy director, said: “This latest set of figures shows a positive overall pattern, which is a reduction in complaints about three of the four main services covered by the data.
“We’re pleased to see this, but we also note that some providers have seen complaints about them increase on the previous quarter. This means it’s not an entirely positive set of figures, so we’re keen to see further improvements across all providers and services.”
Which telecoms firms get fewest complaints?
Plusnet and Sky were the broadband providers that prompted the fewest complaints, while the least complained-about landline provider was Utility Warehouse.
EE, Sky Mobile and Tesco Mobile were the least complained-about mobile providers, while Sky and TalkTalk were the least complained-about pay TV providers.
