Ofcom Complaints Remain Steady – EE Tops Pay-TV Complaints League

Why It Matters

Stable complaint volumes suggest the sector has reached a short‑term equilibrium, but EE’s pay‑TV issues signal a potential brand risk that could influence competitive dynamics.

Key Takeaways

• Ofcom complaints unchanged Q3 2025 across services.
• EE leads pay‑TV complaints, broadband complaints unchanged.
• TalkTalk most landline complaints, complaints increased.
• O2 and Sky Mobile complaints focus on handling.
• Year‑on‑year complaint rates declined across sector.

Pulse Analysis

The third‑quarter 2025 Ofcom complaint report shows a rare plateau in consumer grievances across the UK’s telecom and pay‑TV markets. By publishing complaints per 100,000 customers, the regulator normalises data for providers of vastly different sizes, allowing analysts to spot genuine performance shifts rather than volume artefacts. This quarter, the aggregate complaint rates for fixed broadband, landline, mobile and pay‑TV services mirrored the previous quarter, signalling that the sector has reached a short‑term equilibrium after years of volatility.

EE’s position at the top of the pay‑TV complaint leaderboard is the most notable outlier. While its broadband complaint level remained flat, the surge in pay‑TV grievances points to friction in bundled services or content delivery, areas where consumer expectations are increasingly high. Competitors such as Sky and TalkTalk recorded the fewest pay‑TV complaints, suggesting that their pricing or service models may be better aligned with user preferences. For EE, the data highlights a risk to brand perception and underscores the need for targeted remediation in its TV offering.

Despite the quarter‑on‑quarter stasis, a year‑on‑year comparison reveals a downward trend in complaint rates across all four categories. This improvement reflects the cumulative effect of regulatory pressure, network upgrades, and the industry’s shift toward digital self‑service tools. However, the persistence of pockets of dissatisfaction—particularly in landline and mobile complaint handling—means providers cannot become complacent. Ongoing monitoring by Ofcom will continue to surface granular issues, guiding operators toward proactive customer‑experience initiatives that could further compress complaint levels in 2026.