Overcharged, given a fraction of your advertised broadband speed, or cut off by mistake — and stuck in a customer service loop that repeats the same script every time you call. UK telecoms providers operate under strict licence conditions, and they're required to belong to an independent arbitration scheme you can use for free once you've given them a fair chance to fix things.
What Ofcom actually does (and doesn't do)
Ofcom is the UK's telecoms regulator, but it doesn't process individual complaints itself. Instead, it requires every provider to belong to one of two approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes: Communications Ombudsman (renamed from "Ombudsman Services: Communications" in July 2023 — you may still see the old name referenced) or CISAS (the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme). Your specific provider belongs to exactly one of the two, not both.
Important update: the wait time just got shorter
This changed very recently, so it's worth being precise: as of 8 April 2026, the mandatory wait time before you can escalate to ADR dropped from 8 weeks to 6 weeks — but only for complaints first raised on or after that date. If you raised your complaint before 8 April 2026, the old 8-week rule still applies to your case. Either way, if your provider issues a written "deadlock letter" confirming they can't resolve things, you can escalate immediately without waiting out the full period.
Once you have a deadlock letter, you generally have up to 12 months to bring your case to the ADR scheme — don't sit on it indefinitely.
Finding which scheme applies to you
- Check your provider's complaints policy or website — they're required to tell you which scheme (Communications Ombudsman or CISAS) they belong to.
- If you can't find it, use Ofcom's own ADR guidance page, which links to both schemes' checkers.
- Log every interaction with your provider — dates, names, reference numbers — from the day you first raised the complaint, since that's the date your 6 or 8-week clock starts from.
What the process actually gets you
Once your case is accepted, an independent adjudicator with a legal background reviews both sides' evidence and issues a decision. If you accept it, your provider is legally required to comply — this can include an apology, a bill correction, waiving an early termination fee, or a direct compensation payment. If you reject the decision, you keep the right to pursue the matter elsewhere, including small claims court.
Why raising the threat of ADR often works before you even file
Providers pay a fee to the ADR scheme for every case referred to them, win or lose. Once a retention team realises you know the exact scheme name and the correct waiting period, many offer a refund or penalty-free cancellation immediately, simply to avoid the case fee and the record of an uphold against them.