Ofcom: Pay-TV and broadband complaints rise
August 7, 2025
Ofcom has published the latest figures for complaints it has received about the UK’s main mobile, broadband and pay-TV providers.
These figures cover the first quarter of 2025, from January to March. During this period, complaints about fixed broadband and pay-TV increased and complaints about landline and mobile stayed the same.
Key findings:
- Virgin Media was the pay-TV provider that generated the most complaints. Customers were mainly unhappy about how their complaints were handled.
- Sky and TalkTalk were the least complained-about pay-TV providers.
- TalkTalk was the most complained-about broadband provider, with complaints figures remaining at similar levels to the previous quarter.
- Plusnet was the broadband provider that generated the fewest complaints.
- EE and TalkTalk were the most complained-about landline providers. EE’s complaints figures were the same as the previous quarter, while TalkTalk saw an increase in complaints.
- O2, Three and iD Mobile were the most complained-about mobile providers. Customer complaints were mainly about how their complaints were handled (O2), problems with billing, pricing and charges (Three) and issues with faults, services and provisioning (iD Mobile).
- EE, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile and Vodafone were the least complained-about mobile providers.
Despite once again topping pay-TV complaints, a Virgin Media O2 spokesperson was upbeat in responding to the report, noting: “Six months after we drew a line in the sand and committed to improving our customer service, this data from the regulator shows real green shoots with overall complaints in the first quarter of 2025 down by 42 per cent year-on-year. Our more recent figures paint an even stronger picture, giving us confidence that our strategy of increased investment, simplification, upskilling agents and removing persistent pain points, is making a genuine and tangible difference in improving our customers’ experience with us. We’ll continue to make progress and get this right for good.”
Also reacting to the report, Max Beckett, telecoms expert at Uswitch, said: “It’s disappointing to see fixed broadband complaints increased at the start of this year, with TalkTalk now the most complained about fixed broadband provider, followed by Virgin Media. Outages remain one of the key drivers for broadband complaints, and with so much of our lives now relying on a stable connection for work, education, and leisure, providers must get this right and keep customers updated every step of the way during any disruption. Plusnet generated the least fixed broadband complaints, reflecting its continued commitment to delivering great customer service and reinforcing its award win for National Broadband Provider of the Year at the Uswitch Telecoms Awards 2025. Complaints about mobile networks remained the same, with O2, Three and iD Mobile the most complained about pay-monthly providers and EE, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile and Vodafone the least. O2 topped the list for most complaints, mainly for how these were handled, but we hope to see a marked improvement later this year given its investment in improving customer service.
“As major providers like BT, EE and Plusnet have just announced even higher mid-contract price increases for new customers, the pressure is on for providers to deliver good value and satisfaction to their customers. If providers fall short, customers should vote with their feet and find a better fit,” added Beckett.
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