Ofcom: 'TalkTalk attracts most complaints'

TalkTalk is the most complained about telecoms company for broadband and landline services, while Virgin Media attracts the least complaints, new research by Ofcom has revealed.

After studying data from October 2010 to February this year, the media regulator found that TalkTalk attracted the most complaints of any provider for its landline services, at 1.78 objections per 1,000 customers.

Ofcom saw a peak in complaints about TalkTalk in November 2010, following its damning investigation into the company's incorrect billing of consumers for cancelled services.

The watchdog also found that TalkTalk was the most complained about broadband provider, attracting 1.27 complaints per 1,000 customers. Once more, there was a peak in complaints in November last year following the incorrect billing investigation.

In February, it was announced that TalkTalk and its Tiscali UK division had spent almost £2.5 million compensating their customers following Ofcom's investigations.

For both landline and broadband, Virgin Media was the least complained about provider, attracting 0.21 complaints and 0.2 complaints respectively per 1,000 customers.

On the mobile side, Ofcom's data indicated that 3UK attracted the most complaints over the sample period, with 0.15 complaints per 1,000 customers.

The published data is part of Ofcom's new 'name-and-shame'-style report of the telecoms companies that attract the most complaints from consumers.

The media regulator said that it receives an average of 450 complaints per day about a range of issues, including mis-selling, billing errors, and customer service problems.

Ofcom believes that publishing the complaints information will improve competition by informing consumers about the individual performance of providers.

The research covers landline, broadband and mobile providers with a 5% or more market share, including BT Retail, Sky, the TalkTalk Group and Virgin Media.

Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said: "Consumers should have access to as much information as possible to allow them to choose between providers and to take full advantage of the competition in the sector.

"By publishing complaints data, Ofcom aims to provide useful information to consumers, and also to give telecoms providers an incentive to improve their customer service."