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New Ofcom figures reveal which broadband companies attracted the most complaints, as millions of customers face the prospect of another £48-a-year increase in their bills.
BT, EE, TalkTalk and Vodafone shared the unwanted distinction, with each generating seven complaints per 100,000 customers in the latest quarterly figures.
The findings, published on Monday (October 26), come as households face continuing pressure from rising broadband costs, including annual price increases that can hit customers even when they are locked into existing contracts.
Consumer campaigners are now calling for an outright ban on mid-contract broadband price rises, which can add around £48 a year to household bills.
Which broadband providers received the most complaints?
Ofcom's latest figures cover April to June 2026 and show that BT, EE, TalkTalk and Vodafone attracted the highest rates of broadband complaints among the major providers monitored.
Although all four recorded seven complaints per 100,000 customers, their performances compared with the previous quarter varied.
BT's complaints remained unchanged, EE experienced an increase, while both TalkTalk and Vodafone saw their complaint rates fall.
At the other end of the table, Virgin Media performed best, receiving just four complaints per 100,000 customers.
Plusnet and Sky were close behind, each recording five complaints per 100,000 customers.
The regulator said the main reasons people complained about broadband, landline and mobile services were faults, service quality and problems getting services connected.
Despite the findings, complaints across the broadband industry remained broadly stable compared with the previous quarter.
Overall complaints across the communications sector fell slightly, largely because fewer customers reported problems with pay-TV services.
Broadband bills could rise another £48 a year
The new complaints figures come ahead of another potentially costly spring for millions of broadband customers.
Many providers include scheduled annual price increases in their contracts, which means customers can face higher bills even before their minimum contract period has ended.
An increase of £4 a month adds £48 to the annual cost of broadband at the higher rate. For someone currently paying £25 a month, that represents a 16% jump.
Broadband Genie estimates that mid-contract broadband price hikes in 2026 will generate almost £186 million in additional payments from affected UK customers.
The comparison service believes consumers should not have to accept price increases while tied into an existing agreement and wants the practice banned.
Alex Tofts, strategist at Broadband Genie, said: "Bill payers have suffered from these unfair price hikes for long enough. Mid-contract price rises cause nothing but confusion, stress, and extra financial pressure during a cost of living crisis.
"If Ofcom wants to bring true transparency to telecom billing, the solution is obvious. Ban these absurd mid-contract price rises for good."
Can you switch broadband providers to avoid price rises?
Ofcom introduced new rules in January 2025 requiring providers to state any scheduled mid-contract price increases clearly in pounds and pence, rather than linking them to future inflation rates.
However, the rules stopped short of banning annual increases altogether.
Customers who are outside their minimum contract period can generally switch providers without early termination charges, potentially saving money by moving to a cheaper deal.
Anyone still within their contract should check the terms carefully before cancelling, as leaving early can result in additional charges.
If a provider introduces a price increase that was not specified in the original agreement, or raises the price beyond the amount previously agreed, customers may be entitled to leave without a penalty.
The latest complaints data also offers a reminder that price is not the only consideration when choosing broadband. Reliability, customer service and how a provider handles problems can be just as important.
With another round of annual price changes expected in spring 2027, checking both the cost and quality of your broadband service could help avoid an expensive surprise.