There’s nothing more irritating than a video buffering just as you get to the best bit of a programme, or your internet dipping out of service when you’re working at home. But if you’ve had your fill of shoddy broadband, you’re not alone – as according to consumer group Which? many of us are unhappy with our wifi.
Which? asked customers to score their service providers as part of an annual survey. TalkTalk and Sky ranked bottom – with both achieving a customer satisfaction score of just 50%.
TalkTalk customers criticised the provider for for the quality of its customer service and technical support, and scored it poorly for value for money. TalkTalk customers were the most likely to suffer from very slow speeds (27%) and frequent connection dropouts (21%) in the last 12 months.
More than two-thirds of Sky customers surveyed told Which? they were likely to switch broadband provider and 22% said they had experienced issues with very slow connection speeds.
The UK’s largest broadband providers – BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media – supply almost nine in 10 broadband customers, but Which? noted they had all languished at the bottom of the ranking for years now.
BT also received a “dismal” 51% satisfaction score, with customers particularly unhappy about the provider’s value for money and 20% of households experiencing problems with very slow speeds or connection dropouts.
Virgin Media fared only slightly better at 58%.
Unhappy With Your Provider? Here’s What To Do
Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: “It’s outrageous that the biggest providers are still letting their customers down with shoddy broadband, especially when we know that long-standing customers are the most likely to be overpaying.
“Anyone who is unhappy with their current provider should take back control and switch to a better deal – you could get better service and save hundreds of pounds a year.”
Before starting any broadband switching process, Which? says, first check you have completed the minimum term – otherwise you could risk being hit with a heavy cancellation fee. If you are free to leave, it might be worth haggling with them to get a cheaper deal, as they may be keen to keep your custom. It’s also worth checking an online comparison site to find out the most competitive deals.