Which broadband providers have UK call centres?

Thanks to customer service roles being reshored in recent years, most broadband providers now deliver at least some of their customer service from UK locations.

This currently includes providers like BT, Plusnet, Community Fibre, Direct Save Telecom, Rebel Internet and Zen Internet.

However, there are notable exceptions, including Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone and Virgin Media, which run some or all of their customer service centres overseas.

---

At a glance

---

Which broadband providers offer UK-based customer service?

Many broadband providers operate their customer service from centres within the UK and Ireland.

This marks a significant change from a decade ago, when many providers handled customer support overseas, before bringing large numbers of call centre roles back to the UK.

However, there have also been reports of providers reducing UK-based service roles more recently, with some functions moved offshore again or supplemented with automated and AI-led support.

Providers with explicitly UK-based customer service

These broadband providers explicitly state that their customer service is delivered from UK-based (or UK & Ireland-based) teams, rather than overseas call centres.

BT

BT state that all customer service calls are handled from the UK and Ireland, following a programme announced in 2018 to bring call handling back onshore, which was completed in 2020.

BT operates regional customer service teams across the UK, meaning customers may be routed to advisors based closer to home.

According to Ofcom's latest Comparing Customer Service report, BT ranks among the larger broadband providers with higher-than-average satisfaction for complaint handling.

BT has also confirmed plans to expand the use of digital and AI-led support tools in the coming years, meaning some customer interactions may be handled via automated channels before reaching an advisor.

Plusnet

Plusnet state that customer support is UK-based, with primary customer contact centres located in Sheffield.

Parent company BT opened a new office in Sheffield in June 2024, which is now home to BT and Plusnet customer support staff.

According to Ofcom's most recent complaints data, Plusnet recorded the lowest number of broadband complaints for two consecutive quarters.

Zen Internet

Zen Internet state that their customer service is delivered entirely from UK-based teams, without the use of scripted call handling.

Zen Internet is not included in Ofcom's complaint data due to its smaller customer base.

KCOM

Hull-based broadband provider KCOM state that customer service is delivered by UK-based teams, with support provided from their operations in Hull.

KCOM operates primarily as a regional provider in Hull and the surrounding area.

Gigaclear

Gigaclear is a dedicated rural broadband provider and state that customer services are delivered from their UK-based team in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

Direct Save Telecom

Direct Save Telecom state that customer support is delivered by UK-based staff.

Their technical support, customer service, billing and administration enquiries are handled by teams based in the UK.

Rebel Internet

Rebel Internet state that their customer support and customer success teams are 100% UK-based, with no overseas call centres.

Fibrus

Fibrus state that customer service is delivered by UK-based teams, with customer service agent roles based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, supporting customers across their network areas.

Cuckoo

Cuckoo state that their customer care team is UK-based, providing support for broadband customers.

Lightning Fibre

Lightning Fibre state that their customer services team is based in Sussex, supporting customers across their regional network.

Other smaller providers

Other smaller providers that state they offer UK-based customer service include iTalk Telecom and Andrews & Arnold (AAISP).

---

Providers with a mix of UK and overseas customer service

Some broadband providers operate hybrid customer service models, with a combination of UK-based teams and overseas call centres, alongside digital and automated support channels.

Customers may be routed to different support locations depending on the type of issue, time of day, or contact method used.

EE

EE state that customer service calls are handled by UK-based and Ireland-based teams, alongside digital and automated support channels, but the provider does not position its support as exclusively UK-based.

According to Ofcom's latest complaints figures, EE received among the highest levels of broadband complaints relative to its size in the most recent quarter, with more complaints per 100 000 customers than other major providers in that period.

Customers may be routed through different support pathways depending on the issue, and online and self-service options form a significant part of EE's customer support model.

Sky

Sky operates customer service teams across multiple locations in the UK, alongside the use of overseas call centres as part of its customer support model.

In recent years, Sky has reduced some UK-based customer service roles and expanded its use of outsourced and overseas support, while also placing greater emphasis on digital and self-service channels.

According to Ofcom's most recent complaints data, Sky continues to record relatively low levels of broadband complaints compared with other major providers.

In the same data, Plusnet has recorded fewer broadband complaints than Sky for two consecutive quarters. While this does not indicate a significant increase in complaints for Sky, it represents a change from previous periods and is something worth monitoring.

Some customers discuss their service experiences on Sky's community forums and other online groups, but such posts are anecdotal and are not a reliable measure of overall performance compared with official complaint data.

Customers may be routed to different support locations depending on the issue, time of day, or contact method used.

Vodafone

Vodafone operates a hybrid customer service model, with a mix of UK-based teams and overseas call centres, alongside digital support channels.

After bringing thousands of call centre roles back to the UK from South Africa in 2017, Vodafone later outsourced some customer service jobs overseas again.

However, following the merger of Vodafone UK and Three UK into VodafoneThree, the combined business announced plans in December 2025 to bring over 400 customer contact jobs back to the UK, with new roles in Belfast and Sheffield as part of its broader recruitment drive for UK-based specialist care and sales positions.

Vodafone has also retained many customer care agent positions already based in the UK, including roles in Stoke-on-Trent and Glasgow, while continuing to use offshore support as part of its wider cost-management and operational model.

According to Ofcom's most recent complaints data, Vodafone's broadband complaint levels are around the industry average, with performance varying by quarter. Providers with mixed UK and overseas support arrangements tend to show fluctuating complaint volumes.

Customers may be routed to different support locations depending on the issue, time of day, or contact method used, with online and self-service options forming a significant part of Vodafone's overall customer support model.

Virgin Media

Virgin Media operates a mixed customer service model, with some UK-based call centre staff alongside a significant proportion of support handled overseas.

At the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, Virgin Media announced plans to create more than 500 UK-based customer service roles following temporary closures at overseas call centres during lockdowns, and continues to operate UK-based teams in locations such as Birmingham, Manchester, Teesside and Sheffield. Virgin Media also established a specialist UK-based customer support team of over 500 agents in Manchester in 2025 to handle complex and sensitive issues.

In mid-2025, Virgin Media O2 launched Lumi AI, an artificial intelligence tool designed to assist customer service agents by providing real-time guidance and suggestions during calls, as part of a broader strategy to improve support performance. The tool is being rolled out to support teams and is intended to help resolve issues more efficiently and consistently.

According to Ofcom's most recent complaints data, Virgin Media's broadband complaint levels tend to sit around the industry average, with performance varying by quarter. Its pay TV complaint levels have generally been above the industry average over recent reporting periods.

Customers may be routed to different support locations depending on the type of issue, time of day, or contact method used, and online and self-service options form a significant part of Virgin Media's customer support model.

NOW Broadband

NOW Broadband follows the same customer service model as Sky, using a mix of UK-based teams and overseas call centres.

Since June 2024, NOW Broadband services have been sold as "powered by Sky", with customer support provided directly by Sky's customer service operations. As a result, NOW customers may be routed to different support locations depending on the issue, time of day, or contact method used.

In Ofcom's complaints data, NOW Broadband has historically been listed as a separate provider. However, as newer "powered by Sky" services are supported by Sky directly, customer service performance for those connections is increasingly reflected within Sky's Ofcom reporting, rather than as a standalone NOW Broadband entry.

Community Fibre

Community Fibre is a London-based full fibre provider, covering over 1.3 million homes in the capital, with additional coverage in parts of Sussex and Surrey following its acquisition of Box Broadband.

The provider states that customer support is delivered from its London offices, with agents available to assist customers in multiple languages.

However, Community Fibre does not explicitly state that all customer service is handled exclusively within the UK, and does not make a UK-only support commitment. As a result, it is best categorised as operating a UK-based support model without a clear UK-only guarantee, placing it in this mixed category.

---

Providers with primarily offshore customer service

Some broadband providers handle the majority of customer service calls outside the UK, with limited or no UK-based call centre presence. While support models can change over time, these providers do not currently position their customer service as UK-based.

TalkTalk

TalkTalk operates a predominantly offshore customer service model, with the majority of customer service calls handled outside the UK, including from locations such as South Africa and the Philippines. The provider does not state that customer support is UK-based.

Between 2014 and 2017, TalkTalk experienced a significant customer service fraud incident involving individuals falsely claiming to be customer service agents overseas, which resulted in regulatory action by the Information Commissioner's Office. The incident is historic and relates to a previous period of its customer service operations.

According to Ofcom's latest complaints data published in November 2025, TalkTalk recorded above-average complaint levels for broadband, including among the highest complaint rates per 100,000 customers in that reporting period.

Hyperoptic

Hyperoptic operates customer service primarily through overseas support centres, with customer service functions largely handled from Serbia, while other business operations are based in the UK.

The provider does not state that customer service is delivered from UK-based teams, and support is therefore best categorised as operating a predominantly offshore customer service model.

---

Getting broadband support

The most common way to contact a broadband provider remains by telephone. Ofcom's Comparing Customer Service data for 2022 shows that around 90% of broadband and landline customer contacts were made by phone, with webchat and online messaging accounting for around 6% of contacts.

While Ofcom no longer publishes channel breakdowns in the same format in newer reports, more recent research indicates that telephone support continues to play a central role in how customers reach their provider, even as digital and chat-based support options expand.

Live chat and online messaging are typically used for simpler account queries and basic technical issues, such as checking bills, updating details or running initial connection checks. Providers increasingly encourage these channels because advisers can handle multiple conversations at once, freeing up phone lines for more complex problems.

Providers often encourage customers to use digital support channels because:

• Smaller issues can often be resolved more quickly
• Advisers can handle multiple queries at the same time
• Phone lines are freed up for more complex problems

From a customer perspective, live chat can be useful for quick queries, such as account changes, billing questions or basic troubleshooting if a router or connection is not behaving as expected.

It's also possible to get support through online forums and community pages, where some providers have dedicated staff and experienced customers who can help with common technical questions.

However, many customers still prefer to speak to an adviser by phone, particularly for complex, ongoing or urgent issues.

AI and automated support in broadband customer service

Broadband providers are increasingly using AI-powered tools and automation as part of their customer support operations, particularly for first-line enquiries, diagnostics and account-related questions.

In most cases, these systems are designed to support human advisers rather than replace them. For example, Virgin Media O2's Lumi AI, launched in 2025, provides real-time prompts and guidance to customer service agents during calls and chats. BT Group uses AI tools such as its Aimee assistant across BT and EE to handle large volumes of routine customer interactions. Vodafone uses its TOBi virtual assistant alongside AI-enhanced systems to help customers resolve common issues, while TalkTalk has adopted an AI-powered customer service platform to automate and manage parts of its support process.

These tools can help resolve simple or repetitive issues more quickly and reduce waiting times, but customers with billing disputes, service faults or ongoing problems may still prefer to speak directly to a human adviser. Ofcom research continues to show that telephone support remains a key part of broadband customer service.

Capping support call costs

A major change to the cost of calling customer service came in 2014, following the introduction of the Consumer Rights Directive.

From then on, companies were no longer allowed to charge customers more than basic rates to contact them about a product or service they had already bought.

This brought an end to the use of 084, 087 and premium-rate 09 numbers for customer service and technical support, with providers required to offer either a freephone number or a standard-rate geographic or UK-wide number instead.

Typical costs of calling UK customer service numbers

The approximate costs of calling common UK telephone numbers are:

Many broadband providers recognise that accessible customer service can be as important as headline price when customers are comparing deals. Offering freephone customer service numbers is one way providers try to reduce friction when customers need help.

Which support option should you use?

The best way to contact your broadband provider often depends on the type of issue you're trying to resolve.

• Phone support is usually best for ongoing faults, service outages, billing disputes or complaints, where a problem may need to be escalated or resolved in one conversation.
• Live chat or online messaging can be quicker for simple account queries, such as checking bills, updating details or running basic connection checks.
• Online account tools and apps are often the fastest option for routine tasks, including viewing bills, reporting a fault or restarting equipment.
• Provider forums and community pages can be useful for general technical advice or known issues, but they are not a substitute for formal customer support.

If you are contacting your provider about a service you already pay for, customer service numbers should be charged at standard or free rates, and you should not be required to use premium-rate numbers.

Broadband provider customer service numbers

Opening times vary by provider. Automated messages will usually confirm when lines are open and what support options are available.

---

Summary: Do UK call centres really matter?

Many broadband providers now offer some level of UK-based customer service, meaning the distinction between providers with UK call centres and those without is less clear-cut than it once was.

Looking at providers that perform well in Ofcom's customer service and complaints data, several - including BT and Plusnet - do operate UK-based call centres. However, other providers such as Sky and smaller ISPs like Hyperoptic also tend to perform relatively well on customer service measures, despite using a mix of UK and overseas support.

Conversely, providers such as Virgin Media, TalkTalk and Vodafone operate largely offshore or hybrid customer service models and have seen higher complaint levels at various points in recent years. That said, the data does not show a consistent or direct correlation between offshore call centres and poor customer service outcomes.

Common customer concerns about offshore support often relate to communication barriers or heavily scripted calls. Similar complaints can also be found in reviews of some UK-based call centres, suggesting that service quality is influenced as much by training, processes and escalation routes as by location alone.

Ultimately, many customers still prefer the reassurance of UK-based customer service, and it can play a role when comparing broadband providers. With more providers reshoring roles or operating hybrid models, customers now have more choice than in the past if UK-based support is a priority.