Consumer champion Which? has found that many UK households are facing above-inflation price increases for broadband while also struggling with unreliable service.
Which? surveyed nearly 4,000 broadband customers and discovered that 53 percent had experienced problems such as slow speeds, connection dropouts, outages, or router faults.
These issues were widespread across providers, with only small differences between the best and worst performers in terms of customer experience.
The findings arrive as several providers implemented price hikes exceeding inflation, heightening frustration among consumers who are paying more for a service that often falls short.
Despite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures affecting many households, some broadband companies introduced significant increases earlier this year, leaving customers to absorb higher bills for inconsistent performance.
The combination of rising costs and poor service adds further strain on people already managing tight finances.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, commented:
“A reliable connection is essential to modern life. Earlier this year, many broadband consumers were hit with mid-contract price hikes of more than 14 per cent – meaning that it’s more important than ever that their provider offers a reliable connection and good customer service.
It’s completely unacceptable that customers who have faced these eye-watering increases are also experiencing so many problems with their connection. Broadband firms need to work harder to resolve these issues and offer a better service.”
Among major providers, Sky, Virgin Media, and EE had the lowest share of customers reporting no issues: only 32 percent, 35 percent, and 37 percent respectively reported problem-free service.
BT performed relatively better, with 49 percent of its customers saying they had not experienced performance problems in the past year.
Other providers, including Hyperoptic, Shell Energy Broadband, and Utility Warehouse, saw at least four in ten customers report at least one problem.
The most frequent complaint was connection dropouts, affecting 19 percent of respondents. Slow speeds were the second most common issue, reported by 17 percent.
Other problems included slow uploads and downloads (15 percent), router faults (14 percent), and total loss of connection for at least an hour (14 percent).
Additionally, 12 percent of respondents reported slow or disrupted streaming, while 8 percent experienced a loss of connection lasting more than a day.
Customer service performance also drew criticism. Around 44 percent of respondents said they encountered some form of customer service issue, with 11 percent struggling to contact their provider or resolve their problem.
Earlier this year, Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, urged providers to improve their customer service after criticism that its previous request to ISPs not to raise broadband prices lacked regulatory force and failed to protect consumers from price increases.
For customers who are out of contract and fed up with poor service, switching providers can be a practical option. Which?’s past research suggests switching can save customers an average of £92 per year.
However, customers locked into fixed-term contracts face greater difficulty. Many find themselves stuck between accepting above-inflation price hikes or paying high exit fees to leave early.
As part of its cost-of-living campaign, Which? has urged providers to allow customers to leave without penalty if they face mid-contract price hikes. Only a handful of companies have agreed to this, leaving many customers feeling trapped.
Which? argues that Ofcom’s ongoing review should produce changes preventing customers from being stuck in these situations and should provide clear certainty about contract pricing.
“While some customers are able to switch away to better service and prices, many are trapped in contracts where they either have to accept above-inflation price hikes or pay exorbitant exit fees to leave early,” added Concha. “It’s absolutely critical that Ofcom’s review of inflation-linked mid-contract hikes results in changes that ensure customers are never trapped in this situation again.”
(Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash)
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