Yahoo Finance Half of UK households struggle with poor broadband
Almost half of UK customers (49%) have experienced problems with their internet provider and broadband in the last year, new research has revealed.
According to the latest survey from Which?, the issues ranged from slow speeds to frequent outages, with some lasting more than an hour.
The consumer champion, which surveyed 3,903 broadband customers in Britain in December 2021 and January 2022, said frequent signal drop-out was the most common issue, affecting one in six (17%) broadband customers.
However, the issue was reported by one in five (20%) Plusnet customers — more than the average.
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The second most common problem reported was slow speeds, which affected one in seven (15%). The issue was more common for Sky and Virgin Media customers where it was reported by 18%.
Which? found that the third most common problem was router trouble, reported by 15% of broadband customers overall, and by nearly one in five (18%) Virgin Media customers.
Another one in seven (13%) broadband customers told Which? their internet connection was slow to download or upload files. However, one in six (17%) Sky customers reported this problem in Which?’s survey.
It comes as the majority of providers have an annual inflationary price hike taking effect, adding further pressure on households that are already dealing with a sharp cost of living crisis.
Some broadband bills are expected to climb as much as 10% higher.
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As well as looking into service issues, the Which? survey asked broadband customers about the customer service they had received from their provider.
Overall, nearly four in 10 (37%) told Which? they had experienced customer service issues, while one in six (17%) broadband customers said price increases had been an issue for them in the last 12 months.
However, this went up to a quarter of Sky (24%) and Virgin Media (23%) customers. One in 10 |(10%) customers said they had found it difficult to get in touch with their provider.
“It is simply not good enough that broadband customers are still suffering frequent drop outs, slow speeds and a generally poor internet service at a time when everyday life relies so heavily on a good connection,” Lisa Barber, Which? computing editor, said.
“To add insult to injury, despite the cost of living crisis, many providers have not hesitated to impose above-inflation price hikes. If you’re currently out of contract and your provider is not giving you a good service or you don’t want your bills to go up, shop around and consider switching.”
