People thinking about going with the UK's biggest broadband providers might want to think twice before signing on the dotted line.
That's according to a new study, which asked customers how happy they were with their supplier.
Even though BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media supply almost nine homes in ten with broadband - they all ranked in the bottom half when it cam to satisfaction, consumer association Which? found.
"It’s outrageous that the biggest providers are still letting their customers down with shoddy broadband, especially when we know that longstanding customers are the most likely to be overpaying," said Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services.
Who came last?
TalkTalk and Sky both were tied in last place. When asked, only half their customers were happy with their service.
TalkTalk was criticised for the quality of its customer service and tech support - and didn't even score well for value for money.
Sky was ahead of TalkTalk in most categories, but more than two Sky customers in three (67%) said they were likely to switch broadband provider.
TalkTalk customers were most likely to report very slow speeds (27%) and frequent connection dropouts (21%) in the past 12 months. By contrast, 22% Sky customers also reported very slow connection speeds.
A TalkTalk spokesman said: "While these results are disappointing, we are already seeing more customers than ever staying with us as we continue rolling out major service improvements.
And who came out on top?
Rochdale-based Zen Internet proved most reliable - winning the satisfaction study for the second year running.
They were followed by Utlity Warehouse in second place and Plusnet in third.
The survey also found that Virgin Media customers were most likely to be left without a connection for hours or days at a time (17%), or have had problems with their router (21%).
A spokesperson for Virgin Media, said: "We continue to invest around £1 billion a year on our network, as well as our products and services such as new in-home Intelligent WiFi features. We are committed to delivering a first-class service to our customers."
Best and worst providers ranked
- Zen Internet
- Utility warehouse
- Plusnet
- John Lewis Broadband
- SSE
- Post Office
- Virgin Media
- Vodafone
- BT
- Sky
- Talktalk
What to do if you are unhappy with your provider
If you are unhappy with price hikes or you're fed up with poor service, there are a number of things you can do to negotiate a better deak.
Before switching providers, Which? advises consumers to check they have completed the minimum contract term, or they may have to pay a cancellation fee.
Broadband customers can now quit contracts for free if download speeds are slower than promised
Ms Hitchins, added: "Anyone who is unhappy with their current provider should take back control and switch to a better deal – you could get better service and save hundreds of pounds a year.”
She also said that people who stay with the same broadband provider and do not haggle for a better deal face paying up to £220 a year more than the best deal.
