Analyst warns on broadband customer care

Broadband providers are sacrificing customer service levels in their pursuit of market share, according to a leading analyst.

Research director at Point Topic Katja Mueller claims satisfaction levels among consumers have declined significantly in the last ten months.

In February last year, 92% of respondents to a Point Topic survey said they were “very” or “fairly” satisfied with the service they received from their broadband provider. But that figure had dropped to 77% by December.

Mueller says: “The results suggest that many ISPs [internet service providers] are focusing on the rush to gain market share in a rapidly consolidating market at the expense of customer service. In the long run they may pay dearly for this neglect.”

Competition in the broadband market has intensified since Carphone Warehouse launched its “free” high-speed internet service last year. Rivals such as BSkyB and Orange responded with similar “free” offers, while Vodafone has also just entered the market.