BTopenworld, NTL top complaints charts

NTL is the most complained about telephony provider in the UK but when it comes to Internet access, there can be only one 'winner' -- BTopenworld. Oftel figures for the fixed line business and residential voice markets released on Wednesday put NTL out in front, scoring 0.8 complaints per 1,000 users, with NPower and Telewest tied in second place on 0.5. Next up, and the only others above the industry average, are BT and Eurocall on 0.4. However, BTopenworld is the nation's least favourite ISP as far as Oftel's figures are concerned, registering 1.6 complaints per 1,000 customers. The only other ISP above the industry average of 0.4 is Pipex, on 0.6. Rivals Blueyonder (Telewest), Freeserve and NTL all score 0.1, while AOL is virtually off the radar screen with less than 0.1 complaints per 1,000. Eleven percent of Oftel complaints so far this year have been about ISPs. On the mobile front, resellers lead the dissatisfaction stakes. Against an industry average of 0.5 complaints per 1,000 users, O2 and T-Mobile score 0.2 apiece, while Orange and Vodafone register 0.1. Mobile virtual network operator out does them all, scoring less than 0.1 complaints per thousand. Oftel's Consumer Representation Section receives around 100,000 complaints and enquiries every year. The latest figures are for the 1 April to 30 September, 2002, period. The details of this snapshot can be found at Oftel's Web site. Complaints can be registered in several ways:
Phone - 0845 714 5000
Textphone - 020 7634 5370
Email - advice@oftel.gov.uk
Fax - 020 7634 8845
Post - Oftel, Consumer Representation Section, 50 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7JJ.

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