Which broadband, TV and phone firms get most complaints? Ofgem reveals the figures

The most complained-about providers for broadband, TV and phone services have been revealed by regulator Ofcom.

Ofcom publishes complaints figures to help consumers compare providers when they shop around – and to shame companies into improving their service levels.

The regulator found that Shell Energy logged the most complaints for both broadband and landline services between July and September 2022. 

It comes as millions of Britons face broadband bill increases of up to £95 a year, as internet firms prepare to hike bills from late March. 

Many customer complaints to Ofcom were about the poor handling of the original gripe they had with a communications firm

BT Mobile had the most mobile phone issues, and Virgin Media the highest number of pay TV complaints.

Overall, most complaints were for faulty service (38 per cent), followed by poor complaints handling (31 per cent) and billing (18 per cent).

An Ofcom statement said: ‘We are monitoring Shell’s performance closely, as its complaint volumes remain significantly higher than other providers. 

‘We have been engaging with the provider and urged it to get a grip on identifying and addressing the root causes of these issues.’

A Shell Energy Broadband spokesperson said: ‘We always strive to learn from any instances where a customer feels let down. 

‘Ofcom’s table reflects our position up to six months ago, and since then we have invested heavily and made big strides in our customer service and complaint processes. 

‘We’re confident that these improvements will be reflected when Ofcom releases its results for the current period.’

Most landline complaints were for complaints handling (31 per cent), then poor service (30 per cent) and billing (19 per cent).

Ofcom consumer protection director Fergal Farragher said: ‘Overall complaint levels have been consistently low in recent months, but some providers need to raise their game to match the customer service standards offered by their rivals.

‘If you’re not happy with the service you’re getting, consider shopping around and moving elsewhere. You could end up with better customer service as well as saving money.’

But Ofcom has been telling communications firms to improve for years, according to Helen Dewdney of complaints firm The Complaining Cow.

Dewdney said: ‘Ofcom has been telling companies to up their game for the last three years.

‘If Ofcom started to take more decisive action then other companies would be shaken into properly “upping their game”.’ 

When it comes to mobile phone service, most consumer issues were around complaints handling and poor service, with both racking up 26 per cent of grievances.

A further 20 per cent of complaints were about having trouble changing provider. 

The majority (42 per cent) of customer issues were around complaints handling, with 23 having problems with billing and 19 per cent bad service levels.

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk