These are the best and worst mobile phone providers in the UK

Consumer watchdog Which? has recently ranked the best and worst mobile phone providers in the UK, with giants EE and Vodafone coming out as the two worst mobile phone providers in the country.

EE and Vodafone both scored only 50 out of 100 for overall customer satisfaction despite their fast download speeds and strong coverage. The survey also revealed that only a fifth of EE customers would recommend the company to family or friends, while only a quarter of Vodafone customers would do the same.

Account holders were also let down on customer service managing, receiving only two stars out of five, and the fact that companies provided poor reasons for switching their tariffs. Moreover, both Vodafone and EE were fined by regulator Ofcom.

On the other hand, minnow giffgaff topped the chart after scoring 81, Utility Warehouse came second with 76 and Tesco Mobile was ranked third with 74, and seven out of ten giffgaff customers would recommend the firm to their social circle.

”Year after year we see the smaller providers giving great service and some of the biggest providers struggling to meet their customers’ expectations. Those who are fed up of receiving a poor service from their provider should look to switch. It is critical that the next government and Ofcom listen to the concerns of mobile phone customers so that there is increased competition in the industry which will lead to a better experience for customers,” said Alex Neill, Which? managing director of home products and services.

Vodafone and EE vowed to improve their rating following the Which? poll.

“Getting a good 4G connection is one of the most important factors for consumers, so it’s disappointing that these ratings don’t take network performance into account. Which?’s own report shows that only EE customers get the fastest 4G connection in the UK, and are on 4G more of the time than any other network. The latest data from Ofcom shows that EE has improved customer service and receives the third fewest complaints in the mobile industry. We’re continuing to work incredibly hard to provide the best mobile experience in the UK by rolling out 4G to more places in the UK than any other network and becoming the first operator to answer all customer service calls in the UK and Ireland,” a statement from EE said.

“Improving our service for our customers is our top priority. After a difficult year in 2016, many of the improvements we have made are becoming real to our customers. We are determined to become the UK’s best mobile service provider for customer service,” a Vodafone spokesperson stated.