The results of the Uswitch.com Broadband Awardsare in, revealing what Britons really think of their broadband providers – from speeds and reliability, to customer service and technical support. The winners, as voted for by 2,000 broadband customers and a judging panel of industry experts, were announced at last night’s awards in London’s Covent Garden.
Headliners: Sky and Virgin Media each win four awards, while BT scoops three
Best Broadband Provider: Virgin Media wins coveted top prize, based on votes from UK broadband users and speed test data from Uswitch.com
Speediest: Virgin Media takes gong for Fastest Home Broadband while Three wins Fastest Mobile Broadband
Money-saving: with finances being squeezed, consumers vote TalkTalk for Best Value Home Broadband
Top-rated help: customers vote Sky for both Best Technical Support and Best Customer Service
Pioneering: Virgin Media wins the innovation award in recognition of its Wi-Fi project on the London Underground.
It looks as if some of the Mo Farah magic has rubbed off on Virgin Media. Just like the long-distance runner adorning its campaign posters, the provider has emerged victorious from Uswitch.com’s annual broadband awards, winning four out of 15 categories – including the most coveted Best Broadband Provider title. To win this top prize, based on customer votes and speed test data from Uswitch.com, Virgin beat off stiff competition from runners-up Orange (now EE) and Sky. Virgin Media also received gongs for Fastest Home Broadband and the Innovation Award for its Wi-Fi contribution to the London Underground.
Hot on Virgin Media’s heels was Sky, taking home four awards including Best Pay TV for its original programming and high-class television offerings. The provider also took home the prize for Most Recommended Broadband – and it’s easy to see why, given its pole position in the Best Customer Service and Best Technical Support categories.
With both paid-for TV and home broadband battling it out to become the fourth utility, bundles have become a popular way to save money and reduce hassle. BT dominated this increasingly important category, taking away both the Best Broadband & Home Phone and Best Broadband, TV & Home Phone awards.
When it comes to the broadband bug-bear, speed, Virgin Media has taken the gold. The provider raced off with the Fastest Home Broadband gong – the 100m final of the Uswitch.com Broadband Awards. This category was based on the results of millions of consumer speed tests conducted during 2012 using uSwitch.com’s StreetStats site. Virgin Media’s super-fast fibre optic network helped it to achieve an award-winning average download speed of 16.9 mbps in 2012, beating runners up Plusnet and BT.
For smartphone and tablet users who value web access on the go, Three was given the Fastest Mobile Broadband title in recognition of providing average 3G speeds of 3.8 mbps in 2012. These speeds make tweeting and checking your Facebook posts, while looking up the rail times and answering emails, a doddle!
Those watching the pennies in 2013 should take note that TalkTalk took the Best Value Home Broadband Award with its fast, unlimited broadband from £3.25 per month (for the first nine months). And for consumers looking to get something extra from their broadband, Orange won the Best Customer Benefits awards. Although now re-branded EE, customers still get all the perks Orange offered including 2-4-1 cinema tickets and Pizza Express on Wednesdays.
Ernest Doku, communications expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “Despite BT’s impressive ratings in the two bundle and Fibre Broadband award categories, this year has really been a two-horse race between Virgin Media and Sky. Both are notable for offering internet and digital television services – two luxuries fast becoming essential in many UK households.
“But as broadband becomes a must-have, speed and cost remain top concerns for consumers. As providers battle it out for more of the market, deals offering super-fast speeds, without the high price tag, make it an exciting time for consumers. And hoping to tip the balance in their favour, providers are realising the importance of value-adds and delivering great customer support.
“These awards show that in a competitive market, some providers are managing to stand out from the crowd for all the right reasons. If suppliers keep improving their services and offering better products and deals, consumers will be the real winners. As for those not happy with their current provider, doing their homework and finding a better package can be a New Year’s Resolution that’s easy to keep.”
You can view the full results HERE
Results of the Uswitch.com Broadband Customer Satisfaction Awards 2013
| Award category | Judged by | Nominees |
Winner
| | Fastest Home Broadband | StreetStats Data | BT, Plusnet, Virgin Media | Virgin Media | | Fastest Mobile Broadband | StreetStats Data | Three, T-Mobile, Vodafone | Three | | Best Customer Rated Fibre Broadband | StreetStats Data | Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk | BT | | Best Customer Rated Home Broadband | StreetStats Data | Virgin Media, Plusnet, BT | Plusnet | | Best Broadband & Home Phone | Consumer Survey | BT, TalkTalk, Virgin Media | BT | | Best Broadband, TV & Home Phone | Consumer Survey | BT, Sky, Virgin Media | BT | | Best Value Home Broadband | Consumer Survey | Orange, TalkTalk, Sky | TalkTalk | | Best Technical Support | Consumer Survey | Sky, Orange, Virgin Media | Sky | | Best Customer Service | Consumer Survey | Orange, Sky, Virgin Media | Sky | | Most Recommended Broadband | Consumer Survey | Virgin Media, Sky, BT | Sky | | Best Customer Benefits | Consumer Survey | Orange, Sky, TalkTalk | Orange | | Best Broadband Provider | Best Overall Consumer Survey Score | Virgin Media, Orange, Sky | Virgin Media | | Best Pay TV | Judging Panel | Sky, Virgin Media, BT Vision | Sky | | Best Wi-Fi Service | Judging Panel | Virgin Media, BT OpenZone, 02 Hotspot | Virgin Media | | Best Broadband Innovation | Judging Panel | Virgin Media – WiFi on London Underground, 4G Mobile Broadband from EE, Youview | Virgin Media |
Katherine Moss
Phone: 020 3021 5893
Email: katherine.moss@uswitch.com
Twitter: @uswitchPR
Total sample size for the OnePoll research was 2,000 people. Research was carried out online in November 2012 with analysis conducted January 2013. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). Specific reporting of results published for suppliers that received 50 or more responses. For categories judged by the customer service survey, a minimum of 140 respondents was required for a provider to be shortlisted
The panel of experts included independent journalists and Uswitch experts
For categories judged by Uswitch’s broadband speed testing tool, StreetStats, providers needed a minimum of 3% of the total tests for the category to be shortlisted.
Orange broadband, now re-branded as EE broadband as of 30th October 2012.
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