Virgin Media Ranked Worst For Broadband, Mobile Wait Times

Giffgaff has received the highest satisfaction ratings of mobile providers, while EE received the highest satisfaction score for broadband in Ofcom’s fifth annual study of providers’ relations with customers.

Virtual network mobile operator Giffgaff received an overall 93 percent score, compared with lowest-ranked Three UK, while EE received the highest 82 percent satisfaction score for broadband, compared with TalkTalk at the bottom of the list, with 77 percent.

EE was also the broadband provider that kept users waiting the least amount of time for support calls, at 1 minute and 15 seconds, followed by TalkTalk. By comparison, worst-ranked Virgin Media kept users waiting 7 minutes and 40 seconds.

Long waits

Virgin Media was also rated worst for wait times in the mobile provider rankings, at 6 minutes and 44 seconds, far longer than top-ranked BT, which kept mobile users waiting only 46 seconds on average.

Ofcom noted that many providers’ call centres were significantly affected by lockdown measures and illnesses early last year, and some companies even more recently have “struggled”.

“More than a year since the pandemic began, we expect performance to return to at least 2019 levels, as restrictions ease,” the regulator said.

It reiterated its call for more providers to offer “social tariffs” for people on low incomes.

Virgin Media said the pandemic had forced major changes to its contact centres, and said it was “proud” of how it handled the challenge.

‘Top priority’

“However, we recognise there’s room for improvement, which is why we have already increased our investments in digital and customer service, including creating more than 1,000 customer care roles in the UK last year, and will be making further improvements later this year,” the company said in a statement.

It added that customer serivce was a “top priority”.

Overall, 52 percent of UK broadband customers were happy with how their complaints were dealt with, compared to 57 percent of mobile users.

Ofcom network and communications group director Lindsey Fussell said on the whole broadband and mobile companies had “adapted well” to surging demand for services during the pandemic, although some had experienced customer service difficulties.

“We’re challenging them to act now, so the telecoms industry becomes the gold standard for customer service,” she said.