9 in 10 customers hit by broadband issues as major providers fail to deliver

Our latest analysis shows that frequent broadband dropouts and slow speeds are disrupting work, streaming and video calls for the majority of UK households.

We asked over 5,000 broadband customers whether their connections are consistent and reliable, only to find that frequent connection drop outs, slow speeds and outages were common grievances - with some of the largest providers among the worst performers. The vast majority of broadband customers have been affected  – 91% told us they have experienced at least one issue with their service in the past year.

Customers should never feel forced to settle for sub-standard service. Given there's a range of competitive deals available, we're encouraging households to switch to a provider that offers genuine value and reliable connections.

See how your provider fared in our guide to the best and worst broadband providers for 2026

The most common broadband issues - and the worst offenders 

The majority of broadband issues centred around the speed and reliability of connections, though a smaller number of customers had also experienced outages. Now Broadband, Sky and Virgin Media stood out because in each case their customers were more likely to say they'd experienced two of the issues than customers of other providers. Meanwhile, Zen Internet was the best provider in all of these categories, with its customers most likely to said they had never experienced these issues. 

These findings reflect our wider research into the broadband industry that shows smaller providers consistently outperform their larger rivals in key areas including customer service and value for money, as well as reliability. However, our results also show there is more all providers can do to ensure reliable connections, given fewer than one in ten customers told us they hadn't experienced any problem with their connection in the past year.

Slow uploads and downloads - 28% experience regularly

Around a quarter of those we surveyed said they'd frequently found their connection was slow to download or upload files. Now Broadband was the worst offender here - more than a third of its customers said they'd regularly found their connection slow to download or upload files. One Now Broadband customer told us 'The speed of the broadband is slow for the price and the customer service is bad'.

Very slow speeds - 25% experience regularly

Nealy a quarter of households said they regularly experienced very slow speeds in the past year. However, this was more likely to be an issue for Sky customers with some 31% telling us their connection had often been dogged with very slow speeds. One Sky customer said 'I have had really bad connection and drop out problems for quite a while - I'll be leaving Sky when my contract ends.'

Frequent connection dropouts - 23% experience regularly

Reliable broadband is crucial, but more than one in five customers report frequent disruptive dropouts - these are long enough to affect things such as work, or streaming. Virgin Media customers were most likely to experience this issue with three in ten of its customers experiencing it recurrently. One Virgin Media customer told us 'The internet drops out from time to time - and it always seems to be when I'm doing something important!'.

Problems with video calling - 21% experience regularly

Video calling has become a key tool for working from home and staying in touch with family, yet a fifth of customers regularly experience problems. Here Sky and Now Broadband shared the dubious honour of being the worst-performing,  with more than a quarter of their customers experiencing problems regularly.

Connection outages lasting over an hour - 15% experience regularly

A troubling 15% of respondents said they had frequently experienced long outages in the past year, with this rising to 22% of Virgin Media customers. One Virgin Media customer told us 'Overall it works well but we have experienced several outages over the last few months'.

How to fix slow broadband and connection issues 

In some cases, the only way to fix broadband problems is to speak with your provider - or to pick a new one - but there are several things you can try on your own first:

• If you want to check how your speed compares to what was promised by your provider, start by running a broadband speed test. 
• If your speed is much lower than expected, follow our steps on how to speed up slow broadband to see if you can fix the issue yourself.
• If your wi-fi signal is dropping out regularly, consider whether all of your devices need to be connected at once. However, keep in mind that other people living nearby may also have an impact on your connection - learn how to change the wi-fi channel you're using to see if that helps.
• And if your router is playing up, take a look at our guide on how to fix your router for help understanding what the lights on yours might be telling you.

How to complain about poor broadband speed

If you're experiencing persistent problems with your connection, it's worth letting your provider know. Read our guide on your rights if your broadband is slow or interrupted for more information.

Several providers have signed up to Ofcom's voluntary code of practice on broadband speed: BT, EE, Plusnet, Now, Sky, TalkTalk, Utility Warehouse, Virgin Media and Zen Internet. Each of these providers has committed to give new customers clear information about speeds when they sign up, including a minimum download speed that is guaranteed. If you're with one of these providers and your speed drops below what was promised when you signed up, you may be able to leave your contract penalty-free. 

BT, EE, Hyperoptic, Plusnet, Sky, TalkTalk, Utility Warehouse, Virgin Media, Vodafone, and Zen Internet have also committed to Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme. That means you won’t need to take any action to receive compensation if your service doesn’t start on the agreed date, your engineer appointment is missed or your service isn’t fixed after a loss of service.

Maybe it's time to switch broadband provider

If you're sick of experiencing issues with your broadband provider, it may be time to consider switching to a new one. It can sound like a faff, but when we ask people who have done it recently, the majority tell us it's easy. We've broken it down into four simple steps - get started using our guide on how to switch broadband provider. 

Switching is also an opportunity for an upgrade - as well as offering faster speeds, full fibre is more reliable, and you could actually save money compared with a partial fibre, or standard broadband connection - especially if you've been with the same provider for a while. Check our guide to the best broadband deals to see how much you could be paying.

Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: 'For many broadband customers, these findings will come as no surprise. Our research consistently shows that larger providers are outshone by smaller rivals.

'Many of the biggest names in broadband have been letting customers down for too long. Delaying improvements and failing to offer a better service will only drive customers to companies that treat them better.

'Good-quality broadband isn’t a luxury - it is an essential. With plenty of competitive deals available, consumers have more power than ever to vote with their feet and switch.'

What the providers said

Now Broadband and Sky declined to comment.

Virgin Media told us 'We’re investing millions of pounds every day to give our customers great services with Ofcom’s latest official data showing Virgin Media is now the least-complained-about broadband provider, with complaints at record lows.

'Real-world independent data from Opensignal ranks Virgin Media top across every national broadband category – including download speed, upload speed, consistent quality, video experience and reliability – showing that in reality our customers benefit from the UK’s best broadband services.'