Outages unwrapped: 17 million brits have faced broadband disruption this year
17 million Brits faced disruption to broadband services in 2023[1], enduring 33 outages of more than three hours on average[2]
These customers were left offline for more than 100 hours (or 4.16 days) on average[3], reporting the most disruption at 11am on a Friday or Wednesday[4]
One in ten (10%) frustrated customers would switch their broadband provider if they were not in contract[5]
But consumers wanting to switch face further disappointment as industry warns ‘One Touch Switch’ will not meet its latest target launch date of 14 March 2024 - following an already-missed deadline of 3 April 2023
The new process will enable simpler switching between physically separate networks, such as from Openreach to Hyperoptic or CityFibre - allowing easier access to more competitive deals
Customers will also only need to let their new provider know they want to switch - no matter who they are switching to
Uswitch urgently calls on broadband providers to commit to a new date for One Touch Switch to go live as soon as possible
A staggering 17 million Brits faced disruption to broadband services in 2023, according to new research from Uswitch.com.[1] These customers endured an average of 33 outages which lasted for three or more hours[2] - leaving them offline for a minimum of 100 hours (or 4.16 days) over the past year[3].
Broadband customers reported the most disruption at 11am on a Friday or Wednesday, with the next most unreliable times for connecting to the internet being between 6pm and 9pm, 2pm and 3pm or 10am.[4]
Broadband provider outages were the top reason for these prolonged disconnections. Over half (52%) of broadband customers cited an outage from a provider, followed by power cuts (42%), planned maintenance to external cables (18%) and router issues (17%).[6]
Those in Nottingham were the most likely to experience an outage, with 43% doing so in 2023. This was followed by Liverpool (39%), Brighton (38%) and Plymouth (37%). Those in Glasgow were least likely to be hit by outages (28%).[7]
Failure to enforce ‘One Touch Switch’
One in ten (10%) frustrated customers would switch their broadband provider if they were not in contract[5]. However, customers who are considering switching face further disappointment as the industry warns ‘One Touch Switch’ will not meet its target launch date of 14 March 2024 - following an already-missed deadline of 3 April 2023.
The new process will enable simpler switching for consumers between physically separate networks, such as from Openreach to Virgin Media, Hyperoptic, or CityFibre-powered networks such as Zen or TalkTalk - allowing easier access to more competitive deals offering cheaper prices, faster speeds and more reliable service.
Once in place, customers would only need to contact a new broadband provider to switch, and would no longer need to speak to their current provider - a benefit currently only available to those switching between providers within the Openreach network.
Ernest Doku, broadband expert at Uswitch.com comments: “2023 has been a tough year for broadband customers. They’ve had to put up with high inflation-linked mid-contract price rises and, while outages are hard to avoid entirely, it seems many haven’t received the reliable service they hope to expect.
“And now, we’re finishing the year with warnings from the industry that a long-promised faster switching process, One Touch Switch, won’t be ready for the new target date - with no end in sight to the delays.
“Broadband customers got one glimmer of good news this year when Ofcom proposed a ban on mid-contract price rises, but they won’t see the benefits of this immediately, and inflation-linked price rises are still planned for 2024.
“When it launches, the new process should help to reassure customers that you can switch to any provider and all you need to do is tell the new provider, and they’ll handle everything for you - the same as when you switch your banking current account - even if they use different network cables to your current provider.
“It’s so important that the industry can offer seamless switching so customers don’t end up paying over the odds simply as the process seems like too much effort.
“Customers deserve better and the industry needs to urgently step up in 2024. We’re calling for the industry to set a new target date for One Touch Switch, and for providers to invest the appropriate resources into making it happen as soon as possible.”
Ernest Doku, broadband expert, offers tips for when your internet goes down:
Reset your router: Sometimes the source of an outage is with your equipment rather than an external fault, so take a moment to perform a quick router reset.
Check the broadband status in your area: Many of the UK’s main broadband providers have a dedicated page on their website to show service disruptions. Input your information on these pages to find out if the problem is specific to your connection or there are wider network issues.
Plan backup internet access: There may be occasions where your broadband is down for several hours, so it’s wise to make sure you have a backup option for internet access. Consider using your mobile phone’s data allowance - either directly or by tethering it to a computer - whereby your handset becomes a portable router, enabling you to use its 4G connection in the same way that you would use standard broadband.
Perform regular speed tests: When you take out a home broadband deal, your provider has to guarantee a minimum service speed, so perform regular speed tests to make sure you’re getting what you pay for. If a network issue means your speed is consistently slow - and cannot be fixed within 30 days - you should be able to leave without penalty.
Get paid for delays: If your broadband goes down, report the fault to your provider as soon as possible. If it’s then not fixed after two working days, you’ll automatically receive compensation. You could receive £9.33 if the service is not fixed two full working days after you report it, and then £9.33 for each full day it is still not fixed after that.
Make a switch: If you’re still not happy, it might be time to make a change. Run a comparison at Uswitch.com to find out which broadband packages are available to suit your needs. But don’t be put off by a smaller provider you haven’t heard of - millions could access faster speeds and lower costs as well as a more reliable service with an alternative network compared to a well-known name.
For more advice, visit Uswitch’s guide on what to do when your internet is down.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Yolanda Etrata
Phone: 07702 534 837
Email: yolanda.etrata@uswitch.com
Twitter: @UswitchPR
Notes to editors:
Opinium surveyed a sample of 2,000 UK adults from the 8th - 12th December 2023. Results have been weighted to be nationally representative.
Respondents were asked ‘Have you lost your broadband connection or had it drop out in the last 12 months?’ 33% of respondents said that they had experienced a genuine outage of some kind. 33% of UK adults = 33% of 53,188,000 population = 17,578,634 adults who have experienced an outage of any kind.
Respondents were asked ‘How often have you lost your broadband connection for a continuous period of three hours or more in the last 12 months?. The average number of incidents cited by respondents was 33.
33 outages x 3 hours = 100 hours.
Respondents were asked ‘Which day of the week were you most likely to experience an outage? If you experience outages across multiple days please select all that apply.’ Responses included Friday (12%), Saturday (9%), Thursday (11%), Wednesday (12%), Tuesday (9%), Monday (7%) and Sunday (6%).
Respondents were also asked ‘What time of day did you most frequently experience an outage? If you experience outages at different times of the day please select all that apply.’ The most selected times were 11am (10%), 6pm (8%) and 7pm (8%), 9pm (8%), 3pm (8%), 2pm (8%), 10am (8%).
Respondents were asked ‘Which, if any, of the following are true to you about your broadband outages - I would switch broadband provider if I wasn’t in contract’. 10% selected this option.
Respondents were asked ‘Have you lost your broadband connection or had it drop out for any of the following reasons in the past 12 months? If you’ve had multiple outages for multiple reasons, please select all that applied.’ Areas which reported the most outages included London (56%), Southampton (53%), Liverpool (52%) and Manchester (52%).
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.