Slow speeds and drop outs: common broadband complaints revealed

Our latest broadband satisfaction survey has revealed that more than eight in ten broadband customers have experienced a problem with their connection in the past twelve months.

We asked over 4,500 broadband customers about whether their connections are consistent and reliable, only to find that frequent connection drop outs, slow speeds and outages were common grievances. Many of these issues were persistent across many major broadband providers - but one big name stood out for the wrong reasons.

Given that broadband connections have become essential for information and communication, as well as entertainment, it’s imperative that customers have access to reliable services.

See how your provider fared in our guide to the best and worst broadband providers for 2025.

The most common broadband issues - and the worst offenders

The majority of issues centred around the consistency and reliability of connections, though a smaller number of customers had also experienced outages. Sky stood out repeatedly, with its customers being more likely to say they'd experienced several issues than customers with other providers.

Slow downloads and uploads - 28%

More than a quarter of those we surveyed said they'd frequently found their connection was slow to download or upload files. But Sky was the worst contender here - some 39% of its customers said they had experienced problems. On the other hand, 47% of Plusnet customers said they had not experienced slow downloads or uploads in the past year.

Very slow speeds - 26%

While sluggish connections were also a common issue for around a quarter of broadband customers overall, the issue was once again greater among Sky broadband customers with 37% saying they’d experienced very slow speeds in the past year. Zen Internet was the best provider here, with 54% of customers saying they hadn’t experienced a problem with slow speeds.

Frequent connection drop-outs - 22%

Yet again, Sky customers were overrepresented when it came to frequent connection drop outs that affect things like work or streaming - some 31% of Sky customers said they’d been a problem.  Plusnet was the best provider overall with 57% of its customers saying they hadn’t experienced the issue in the previous year.

Router problems - 21%

The trend continues here, with Sky yet again standing out for the wrong reasons - 30% of its customers said their router routinely played up. Hyperoptic had the best result in this category - 54% of its customers hadn’t had a single issue with their router in the past year.

Connection outages - 15% had experienced more than an hour, 8% had experienced more than a day

Fortunately a smaller proportion of customers had experienced longer outages overall, but customers of two providers were more likely to have had a negative experience here. A troubling 22% of Virgin Media customers said they’d been left without their connection for more than an hour, while 13% of Sky customers said they’d lost their connection for at least a day. Hyperoptic was the best provider in this category - 70% said they hadn’t experienced a short outage and 88% said they hadn’t experienced a long one.

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 worth trying yourself 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.

Is it 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, fibre is more reliable (particularly full fibre connections), and you could actually save money compared with a standard broadband connection. Check our guide to the best broadband deals to see how much you could be paying.

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