BT, EE and TalkTalk make Ofcom's top complaints list

BT, EE and TalkTalk have emerged as three of the most complained about comms and broadband providers, according to new quarterly figures from Ofcom.

The mobile regulator has published details about the volume of complaints it received about landline telephone, broadband and paid-for TV providers between July and September 2013.

While complaint volumes about landline, broadband and paid-for TV services were higher than the previous quarter, the number of people complaining about mobile providers was down overall.

TalkTalk was the most complained about landline provider during the third quarter of 2013, garnering 0.31 complaints per 1,000 customers. This was higher than the industry average.

Even so, the volume of complaints against the firm during Q3 2013 was the lowest they have ever been.

"The main issues driving complaints were service faults and problems with changing provider," Ofcom said, in a statement.

The volume of criticism levelled at BT's landline services was also higher than the industry average, with 0.23 complaints per 1,000 customers.

Virgin Media received the fewest complaints overall, with just 0.08 per 1,000 customers.

From a broadband perspective, Orange/EE received the most complaints, at a rate of 0.45 per 1,000 customers. This was more than double the industry average.

BT was the second most complained about broadband provider, with 0.41 complaints per 1,000 customers, while TalkTalk chalked up 0.27 for every 1,000 customers.

Once again, Virgin Media received the fewest complaints, followed by Sky.

On the pay monthly mobile services front, T-Mobile clocked up the most complaints during Q3 2013, at a rate of 0.13 per 1,000 customers. The majority of these concerned the operator's billing and complaints handling procedures.

Orange and Virgin Mobile also generated complaints in excess of the industry average, while O2 remained the least complained about mobile services provider.

Claudio Pollack, director of Ofcom's consumer group, said releasing the data would make it easier for end users to make "informed decisions" when choosing new suppliers.

"We also hope this data will incentivise providers as they work to address issues driving complaints and improve their performance," Pollack added.