Bartering on broadband: new research reveals which providers are the easiest to haggle with

New research from Go.Compare has revealed that Vodafone might be your best bet if you’re trying to wrangle a better broadband deal, as customers state it’s the easiest to haggle with (52%).* This comes just days after Ofcom announced that Vodafone is also among the broadband providers with the most complaints.**

Ofcom published its latest broadband complaints figures at the start of the week, revealing that overall, seven out of every 100,000 customers complained about their broadband provider in Q4 2025. This is down from nine complaints per 100,000 customers compared to the same period in 2024. Vodafone received 11 complaints per 100,000 providers – the highest in the UK.

Faults, service and provisioning were the key issues, accounting for 42% of all broadband complaints over this period. This was followed by complaints handling (24%), and issues with billing, pricing and charges (17%). 

There are ways to save on your broadband bill. Go.Compare has looked into which providers are most likely to let you drive down the price. New research from the comparison site suggests Vodafone is the easiest to haggle with, with over half (52%) of their customers saying it was easy to negotiate a better price. EE was found to be the second most likely to budge on price, with 49% of its customers saying they successfully haggled. This is followed by Sky (46%) and Virgin Media (45%). Meanwhile, only around a third (37%) of BT’s customers said they found haggling easy.

Major broadband providers that are easiest to haggle with

Catherine Hiley, spokesperson at Go.Compare broadband, said: “It’s always worth looking at Ofcom’s latest complaints figures. But it’s particularly interesting that the most complained about provider this time is also the one we found to be the easiest to haggle with.

“Price is certainly a very important factor when it comes to choosing your broadband, and it’s always good to remember that providers may bring down the price – all you have to do is ask. But you’ll want to make sure that the quality of the service is worth the effort.

“If your broadband service has been below expectations, it’s worth getting in touch with your provider to see if the issue can be resolved or if you’re owed any compensation. Generally speaking, if your broadband speeds are slower than promised, you could be entitled to a refund or free cancellation. But you’ll need to follow the right process to claim this. 

“If you’re looking to claim a refund or compensation, make sure you record all the evidence you can of your speeds being slower than promised, and make a note of the times you’ve contacted your provider to try and resolve the issue. You’ll need to present this information to them when you get in touch, so the more detail you can include the better, for example, dates, times and who you spoke to.

“We’d also suggest reviewing the latest complaints figures from Ofcom when you get a chance. This can give you an idea of how your provider is performing compared to others, and help you decide whether or not to stick with them after your contract ends.

“Whether you decide to stick or switch, it’s always a good idea to compare your options on a comparison site, as you could find a better price than what you’re quoted at renewal.  By factoring in Ofcom’s complaints data, you can also make sure that as well as a great deal, you get reliable service too.” 

More information on leaving broadband contracts early can be found on Go.Compare’s website.

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