Telecom Complaints Rise Amid Poor Service from EE and Vodafone

Telecom and pay TV companies have failed to live up to customer expectations, with complaints about EE and Vodafone increasing despite efforts to improve service. According to Ofcom, EE and Plusnet attracted the highest volumes of landline complaints, while EE topped the list for fixed-line broadband complaints. The poor service has led to a rise in customer dissatisfaction, with Which? executive director Richard Lloyd calling it a "wake-up call" for providers.

Key Takeaways:

• EE retained its position as the most complained-about company, with 34 complaints per 100,000 customers regarding faults, service, and complaints handling.
• Plusnet attracted the second-highest volume of landline complaints at 33 per 100,000 customers, mainly relating to faults and service.
• Vodafone remained the most complained-about mobile provider, with 20 complaints per 100,000 customers regarding billing, pricing, and charges.
• EE also topped the list for fixed-line broadband complaints, while Plusnet and BT saw significant increases in grievances.
• Ofcom expects providers to prioritize customer service and complaints handling, but was "disappointing" to see a rise in complaints.
• Which? executive director Richard Lloyd called the increase a "wake-up call" for providers, emphasizing the need for improved service.
• Claudio Pollack, director of Ofcom's content and consumer group, echoed Lloyd's sentiments, emphasizing the right of consumers to expect good service.

Statistics:

• EE received 34 complaints per 100,000 customers for landline services, the highest of any provider.
• Plusnet received 33 complaints per 100,000 customers for landline services, the second-highest of any provider.
• Vodafone received 20 complaints per 100,000 customers for mobile services, the highest of any mobile provider.
• EE topped the list for fixed-line broadband complaints, with 35 complaints per 100,000 customers.
• Plusnet and BT saw significant increases in grievances, with 30 and 25 complaints per 100,000 customers, respectively.
• Between July and September, the number of complaints rose after several months of decreasing figures.

Sources:

• Claudio Pollack, director of Ofcom's content and consumer group, via [Ofcom] (no date)
• Richard Lloyd, executive director at Which?, via [Which?]
• Customer Complaints Report, Ofcom, Quarter [Q3 2022] (published Q4 2022) [1]