What Are Ofcom’s Broadband and Mobile Complaints Rankings?
Every quarter, Ofcom publishes a set of tables ranking UK broadband and pay-monthly mobile providers by the number of complaints they’ve received per 100,000 customers. It’s one of the few genuinely independent, data-driven ways to compare providers on service quality rather than just price.
The latest available data covers Q1 2026 (January to March), published by Ofcom on 23 July 2026. We’ll walk through the key findings below. But first, an important bit of context: even the worst-performing provider in recent history generated complaints from a tiny fraction of its customer base. This isn’t a league table of catastrophic failure. It’s a relative comparison, and a useful one.
How Ofcom Collects This Complaints Data
These aren’t just angry tweets or one-star reviews. Before a complaint lands in Ofcom’s tables, it has to go through the provider’s own complaints process and then be escalated to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme, either the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS. Only providers with roughly 1.5% or more of the UK market appear. The figures capture only the most serious, unresolved cases. The vast majority of unhappy customers never get this far.
Why Complaints Are Measured Per 100,000 Customers
A provider like BT/EE will naturally receive more total complaints than a smaller operator simply because it has millions more customers. Measuring per 100,000 levels the playing field.
One thing to keep in mind: Ofcom itself says differences of less than roughly 1 complaint per 100,000 between providers are statistically comparable. Don’t over-read tiny gaps in the middle of the table. To put the numbers in real terms, even Vodafone’s 24 complaints per 100,000 in Q2 2023 (the highest recorded in recent years, per Ofcom’s own back data) equates to just 0.024% of its customer base. That’s fewer than 1 in 4,000 customers.
Fixed Broadband Complaint Rankings, Latest Data
Fixed broadband consistently generates the highest complaint volumes of the four sectors Ofcom monitors, driven by faults, provisioning delays, and tricky migrations. Here’s where things stood in Q1 2026.
Most Complained-About Broadband Providers
TalkTalk broadband topped the table for fixed broadband complaints in Q1 2026, at 10 per 100,000 customers, its third consecutive quarter at that level, according to Ofcom’s published data. Vodafone broadband came second at 8, though it was also the quarter’s biggest improver, down from 11 three months earlier. EE, which topped this table a few quarters back, has fallen to the industry average.
For context, Virgin Media held that unenviable top spot in Q4 2023, prompting Ofcom to launch a formal investigation into its complaint-handling and contract termination practices. And in Q1 2024, Now Broadband (a Sky sub-brand) hit 22 complaints per 100,000 against an industry average of 11. Even well-known brands can spike.
What typically drives these complaints? Poor fault resolution, delays switching or setting up a new line, and billing disputes that drag on without resolution.
Least Complained-About Broadband Providers
Plusnet broadband deals came out on top again in Q1 2026, generating just 4 complaints per 100,000 customers. Sky broadband deals followed at 5, improving on the previous quarter. Both sat clear of the industry average of 6, and Virgin Media was the only provider to worsen on the quarter, edging up from 5 to 6.
Low complaint rates can reflect fewer service problems, but they can also signal more effective in-house resolution. Providers that sort issues before they reach an ombudsman naturally score better. That distinction matters.
Broadband Complaint Trends
The good news: fixed broadband complaints fell to an all-time low of 6 per 100,000 customers in Q1 2026, down from 7 the previous quarter and from a peak of around 40 per 100,000 when Ofcom started publishing this data in 2011. That is the lowest level ever recorded. Overall, UK providers are getting better at resolving issues before they escalate.
Mobile Complaint Rankings, Latest Data
Ofcom’s mobile tables cover pay-monthly contracts only. Pay-as-you-go customers aren’t included. Here’s Q1 2026.
Most Complained-About Mobile Networks
Sky Mobile SIM deals stood alone at the top of the pay-monthly table in Q1 2026, at 4 complaints per 100,000 against an industry average of 2. Ofcom noted most of those complaints related to customers’ experiences changing provider. O2 and iD Mobile SIM-only deals sat just above average at 3.
O2 has form here. It was the most complained-about mobile operator in Q4 2023 and for much of 2025, with Ofcom specifically pointing to how O2 handled customers’ complaints as a significant driver. That’s a process failing, not necessarily a network quality issue, and its slide back towards the average this quarter is progress. Sky Mobile is the reverse story: strong showings in earlier years, now leading the table on switching complaints. Rankings can shift quickly, in both directions.
Least Complained-About Mobile Networks
EE, giffgaff, and Vodafone generated the fewest pay-monthly mobile complaints in Q1 2026, at just 1 per 100,000 each, with Three SIM deals and Tesco Mobile SIM-only deals close behind at 2.
Tesco Mobile’s low-complaint status has been consistent. It was among the best performers in Q4 2023 too. Here’s the curious thing: in the same quarter, EE was the least complained-about mobile network, mid-table in broadband, and the most complained-about pay-TV provider. Plusnet managed the same trick in reverse, best in broadband and worst in landline. Same company, very different performance by product, so check the table for the service you are actually buying.
It’s also worth remembering that MVNOs like Tesco Mobile, iD Mobile, and Sky Mobile run on the major networks’ infrastructure but handle complaints through their own customer service teams, which can produce quite different outcomes.
Mobile Complaint Trends
Mobile complaint volumes fell again in Q1 2026, with the industry average down from 3 to 2 complaints per 100,000. That’s encouraging. Mobile rates tend to be lower than broadband in absolute terms, partly because switching mobile provider is quicker and simpler (so fewer customers feel stuck).
What Drives Complaints, And What the Data Really Means
Broadband complaints are most commonly driven by service faults left unresolved for too long, delays provisioning new lines or completing switches, and billing errors. Mobile is a different story: the dominant issue is complaint handling itself. A high complaint rate doesn’t necessarily mean a provider’s product is worse. It can simply mean their customer service is letting them down.
Ofcom’s Rules on Complaint Handling
Ofcom requires all major providers to follow a defined complaint-handling code. They must acknowledge complaints promptly, resolve them or open the door to escalation within six weeks (for complaints raised on or after 8 April 2026; previously eight weeks), and direct customers to an ADR scheme if the issue remains unresolved. The Virgin Media investigation in Q4 2023 shows this framework has teeth. Persistent high rankers face real regulatory scrutiny.
How to Use This Data When Choosing a Provider
Complaint rankings are one useful factor, not the only one. Broadband speed at your address, price, contract length, and customer satisfaction scores from sources like Which? or Trustpilot all matter too. Remember that gaps of 1 to 2 complaints per 100,000 between mid-table providers are statistically comparable per Ofcom’s own guidance. Focus on the outliers (they’re where the real signal is).
A smart approach? Check what broadband deals are available at your postcode and cross-reference with the complaint data to find a provider that’s both competitively priced and well-regarded.
“Ofcom’s complaints data gives consumers something genuinely useful: an independent, regulator-verified snapshot of how providers perform beyond the marketing promises. At Switchity, we always encourage people to look beyond headline prices when comparing broadband and mobile deals. A provider’s track record on handling complaints is one of the clearest signals of how they’ll treat you if something goes wrong. The good news is that overall complaint volumes across the UK are falling, which suggests the industry is improving. But if your provider is a persistent outlier, that’s worth knowing before you sign another two-year contract.”
How to Raise a Complaint About Your Broadband or Mobile Provider
If you’re dealing with an unresolved issue, here’s the process:
- Contact your provider’s customer service and formally log a complaint. Ask for a reference number.
- If it’s not resolved within six weeks, escalate to your provider’s approved ADR scheme (either the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS). Check which one applies on the Ofcom website.
- If the issue relates to a regulatory breach, contact Ofcom directly. But note that Ofcom doesn’t investigate individual complaints. It uses aggregate data to take action on systemic problems.
If your provider’s complaint record is poor and you can’t get the issue sorted, it may be time to consider switching. Check whether you’re within a switching window or eligible to leave your contract. Our guides on broadband exit fees and your rights, your rights when switching broadband, and how to switch broadband provider cover the details.
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