TalkTalk and O2 topped the list of the most complained about broadband and phone companies, according to latest Ofcom data.
The regulator said TalkTalk had seen an increase in complaints in the third quarter of 2024 to top the list of broadband firms, while O2 continued to be the most complained about mobile provider.
Ofcom publishes complaints data every three months to help people compare providers when they shop around and push providers into improving their services.
For broadband services, TalkTalk received 14 complaints per 100,000 customers between July and September, a significant increase from the 10 in the previous quarter.
It’s slightly ahead of the second-highest, EE, which received 13 complaints per 100,000 customers, Now Broadband and Virgin Media which received 12 and Vodafone, which had 11. All three lag behind the industry average of 10.
Sky came in with the fewest complaints again at 5 per 100,000 customers, while BT and Plusnet received 8 and 10 complaints per 100,000 respectively.
Faults, service and provisioning were the cause of 38 per cent of complaints against TalkTalk, slightly below the industry average of 39 per cent.
Just 23 per cent of complaints came from billing, pricing and charges, although this was still ahead of the industry average of 18 per cent.
TalkTalk also topped the list of landline providers that received the most complaints, with 8 complaints per 100,000 customers, tied with EE and Now Broadband.
Just three providers – Utility Warehouse, Sky and Vodafone – received less than the industry average of 5 complaints per 100,000.
Faults, service and provisioning were again customers’ main gripes with TalkTalk, Now Broadband and EE.
The figures show a marked decline for TalkTalk services, having previously been in the middle of the table. However, other providers have made significant strides in improving their complaints handling.
Now Broadband, which topped the list in the previous quarter with 18 complaints per 100,000 customers, has seen a drop-off, while Virgin Media, which regularly topped the list, is nearing the industry average.
A TalkTalk spokesperson said: ‘We have always been committed to delivering the best possible service for our customers. While this number represents a very small proportion of our total customer base, we are disappointed, and determined to improve on it.
‘We continue to invest to enhance the way we work with customers, making it easier than ever to get in touch with us through a variety of contact methods, and expect to see this reflected in future reports.’
What about mobile complaints?
Elsewhere, O2 topped the list for mobile providers with 5 complaints per 100,000 customers, higher than the industry average of 3.
Complaints handling was the biggest driver of complaints, followed by faults, service and provisioning.
A Virgin Media O2 spokesman said: ‘We’re making progress with our plans to transform customer service and, while it will take time to get where we want to be, Ofcom’s latest statistics show that we’re heading in the right direction, with improvements across the board in Q3 2024.
‘Through targeting investment in customer-facing areas of the business, simplifying systems and processes, upskilling our staff and removing persistent pain points, our ultimate goal is to provide consistently exceptional services to customers and give them confidence that where they do have an issue, we’ll resolve it quickly with no hassle.’
It told This is Money this week in an exclusive interview that it’s spending up to £1million a day on customer service after lagging behind its rivals.
Every other mobile provider either met the industry average or was below it, with Tesco Mobile and Sky Mobile having the fewest complaints with 1 complaint per 100,000.
Pay-TV customers are experiencing huge differences in their service, as Virgin Media and EE received 9 and 8 complaints per 100,000 customers, respectively, well above the industry average of 4. While Sky and TalkTalk received just 2.
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