Huge change to mobile and broadband rules so customers can get £100s in compensation sooner
A HUGE change to mobile and broadband rules means customers can get £100s in compensation sooner.
Anyone who complains to their provider and does not get the response they want can take their claim further to the ombudsman.
Currently, providers have up to eight weeks to respond.
But under new rules laid out by Ofcom, this will now be reduced to six weeks.
This means frustrated customers can get compensation quicker.
Ofcom has been consulting on the change and made its final decision this week.
But customers will have to wait until April 2026 before the changes officially come into place.
Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, described the move as “positive”.
She said: “Recent Which? research found that eight in ten suffered a connection issue with their broadband provider in the year to January 2025.
“So unfortunately, telecoms issues are far from uncommon and customers rightly expect that any problems will be resolved quickly and efficiently.”
She added: “Any providers who are falling short urgently need to up their game to ensure their customers are getting the service they rightly expect and that problems are resolved as quickly as possible.”
It is worth noting that when you take an issue to the ombudsman there’s no guarantee of compensation, but it’s one of the ways it can tell the supplier to offer redress.
If you wish to complain to your broadband provider look for the customer service number on the company website.
Ask to speak to the relevant team member and make sure you have important documents such as bills and bank statements to hand.
Under current rules, if your supplier does not resolve the issues after eight weeks, you can take your case to one of two Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes.
Customers can escalate issues to either the Communications Ombudsman (CO) or the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS).
If your provider cannot solve your complaint, it will issue a “deadlock letter” which means it does not think it can resolve the problem.
You can find out what scheme your provider is part of by using the ADR checker on the Ofcom website.
If you receive one of these letter it means you have 12 months to contact the ombudsman.
Resolving an issue through the ombudsman can lead to a simple apology, or you get compensation.
If you are not happy with how it has resolved your complaint you can switch providers.
HOW TO CUT BROADBAND COSTS
If you’re not happy with what your broadband firm is offering you, shop around for a new deal and switch providers.
You can use price comparison websites like Uswitch to find the best deals based on your circumstances.
You can also use a deal found on a price comparison site to haggle your existing provider down to a lower price.
And if you are a pensioners or on government benefits like Universal Credit you should check if you can slash your broadband and mobile bills by hundreds of pounds a year.
Social tariffs are offered to those on government benefits like Universal Credit, and they can save you hundreds of pounds a year compared to standard deals.
They often come with no exit fees – but you should always check the terms and conditions carefully.
Ofcom has a list on its website of all the firms offering social broadband and mobile phone tariffs here:www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/saving-money/social-tariffs.
Top tips on how to stay connected
Here are some tips from Ofcom on how to improve your Wi-Fi connection and get more out of it:
- Use your landline or Wi-Fi calls:More people are making calls on their mobile network during the day, so you may find you get a more reliable connection using your landline or by turning on “wifi calling” in your settings.
- Move your router clear of other devices: Keep your router as far away as possible from other devices, such as cordless phones, baby monitors, TVs and monitors, as they can all affect your Wi-Fi if they’re too close to your router. Also, place your router on a table or shelf rather than on the floor, and keep it switched on.
- Lower the demands on your connection: The more devices attached to your wifi, the lower the speed you get. Devices like tablets and smartphones often work in the background, so try switching wifi reception off on these when you’re not using them.
- Try wired rather than wireless:For the best broadband speeds, use an Ethernet cable to connect your computer directly to your router rather than using Wi-FI.
- Plug your router directly into your main phone socket:Where possible, try not to use a telephone extension lead, as these can cause interference which could lower your speed.
- Test the speed on your broadband line: You can run a speed test using Ofcom’s official mobile and broadband checker. If possible, carry out tests over a few days and see if there are any changes.
