Go.Compare expert shares guidance after Ofcom releases latest mobile and broadband complaints figures

The mobile and broadband experts at Go.Compare have issued guidance for broadband and mobile customers who are unhappy with their providers, after Ofcom unveiled its latest complaints data.

Ofcom published its newest mobile and broadband complaints figures yesterday (26 October), with BT, TalkTalk, Vodafone and EE emerging as the most complained about broadband providers, each of which receive seven complaints per 100,000 subscribers, according to the regulator.* It also found that Sky Mobile received the most complaints for a pay-monthly mobile service, at three complaints per 100,000 subscribers.

Catherine Hiley, spokesperson at Go.Compare broadband and mobile, said that customers experiencing below par services could be entitled to compensation or fee-free cancellation depending on their circumstances.

Catherine explained: “Underperforming broadband and mobile services are always incredibly frustrating, but there’s no need to settle for a substandard connection.

"When it comes to your internet connection, if you’re not receiving the broadband speeds you were promised, you might be able to claim compensation or leave your contract early without paying an early exit fee. If you want to cancel your contract because you’re not getting the speeds you were expecting, you’ll need to make sure you follow the right process, which means attempting to resolve the issue with your provider first. Start by running regular broadband speed tests to record the speeds you’re actually receiving against those that were advertised when you signed up. There are plenty of online tools that will do this for you for free. You can then contact your provider to see if they can improve things. 

“If you’ve tried this and you’re still not receiving the speeds you were promised, your provider should allow you to leave your contract penalty free. You'll need to evidence the issues, so remember to keep a log of all the times you contacted them about the problem and all the speed tests ran. They are much more likely to help you if you have this information to back-up your claims.

“Your broadband provider should also compensate you automatically if you experience a total loss of service that isn’t resolved after two working days. If this happens to you and you haven’t received compensation, you can raise it with your provider. 

“You can still cancel your contract at any time if you're unhappy with your provider. But there could be hefty fees for this, depending on how long is left on your contract. Some providers offer to cover your cancellation fees up to a set amount if you switch to them. So comparing deals and seeking out those that offer this perk can be a good way of mitigating these costs."

Catherine continued: “The same applies to your mobile network provider - you can leave your provider at any time if you’re unhappy with your service, although you may incur an early exit fee for doing so. Some networks offer an acceptable coverage guarantee, which will allow you to terminate your contract if your signal falls below an agreed threshold. Even if your provider doesn’t offer this, it can be worth asking for a penalty-free cancellation before committing to paying a fee, as they might let you leave for free as a gesture of goodwill if you can show you’ve received consistently poor service.

“If you do decide to cancel your contract, use a comparison site to help you find the most competitive deals on the market.

"Remember to check the deals against Ofcom’s latest complaints figures to help you avoid the worst-performing providers. And check any mobile network’s signal coverage where you live before switching to them, as each network’s signal quality can vary by location. Doing this will help you avoid signing up to deal with a provider that has a poor reputation or offers poor signal in your area.”

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

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