EE, TalkTalk, Vodafone Top Ofcom's Broadband Complaint List for Q3 2025

The UK's telecommunications regulator has published its latest complaint data, revealing EE, TalkTalk and Vodafone as the most complained-about broadband providers during the third quarter of 2025. According to Ofcom's quarterly grumble-o-meter, these three providers each generated 10 complaints per 100,000 customers - significantly above the industry average of 8.

Broadband Breakdown
EE, TalkTalk and Vodafone topped the broadband complaint charts, with BT (9 complaints/100k) and Virgin Media (7) trailing closely behind. Plusnet emerged as the standout performer with just 4 complaints. The majority of broadband complaints centered around service faults, installation issues, and provisioning problems - fundamental service failures that directly impact consumers' ability to work, study and connect.

Landline Leaders in Complaints
TalkTalk faced the most landline dissatisfaction with 7 complaints per 100k customers, followed by EE at 6. BT, NOW Broadband and Plusnet registered 5 complaints each, while Utility Warehouse demonstrated exceptional performance with just 1 complaint. These figures highlight significant disparities in customer experience between providers offering similar core services.

Mobile and Pay TV Discontent
In mobile services, Sky Mobile received the highest complaint volume at 3 per 100k customers - still notably low compared to broadband complaints. Three mobile customers primarily reported issues with complaint handling procedures. For pay TV, EE registered 6 complaints per 100k subscribers, with Virgin Media at 5. Complaint handling emerged as the primary frustration point, followed closely by difficulties switching providers.

Historical Improvement Context
While current complaint levels remain concerning, Ofcom's historical data reveals substantial industry improvement. Since 2011:

• Broadband complaints have plummeted from 40+ to 8 per 100k
• Landline complaints dropped from 38 to current levels
• Mobile complaints decreased from 19 to just 2 per 100k

This downward trend demonstrates regulatory pressure works, but the latest figures confirm persistent service gaps affecting consumers.

Transparency and Accountability Tools
Ofcom maintains interactive complaint charts allowing consumers to compare providers historically across sectors. The regulator also publishes underlying data in CSV format for public analysis, reinforcing market transparency.

The persistent complaint patterns reveal systemic issues in complaint resolution processes and service reliability. As the UK's communications watchdog, Ofcom continues leveraging public disclosure to incentivize improvements, reminding providers that customer experience directly impacts regulatory standing and market reputation.