London, May 1, 2026, 18:08 BST
Britain’s telecoms watchdog has launched a probe into BT Group, focusing on whether the company met its legal obligations to provide information—specifically, customer-service data from its EE and Plusnet operations is in the spotlight. Ofcom pointed to evidence indicating that some of BT’s responses might have been inaccurate or incomplete.
Awkward timing for BT, which is aiming to demonstrate improvements in service quality and cash flow as part of its turnaround push. The company is set to report full-year FY26 results on May 21.
On Dec. 7, 2023, Ofcom sent data requests to EE and Plusnet, targeting records of customers who had signed up or ordered fixed broadband and fixed voice services. The regulator leaned on Section 137A—a provision that lets Ofcom compel telecom providers to hand over information for publishing. That’s the lever Ofcom uses when it needs hard numbers for market comparison and enforcement.
No rule breach has been identified at BT. “We take compliance and statutory obligations very seriously,” a BT spokesperson told Reuters, saying the company strives for accuracy when sending data to Ofcom. The spokesperson added BT would cooperate closely with the regulator. Reuters
BT finished Friday on firmer ground, shares rebounding after falling on news of the investigation. By the close, Hargreaves Lansdown showed BT trading at 216.20p to sell, 216.30p to buy—just 0.09% higher. That puts the company’s market cap at £21.11 billion.
This isn’t simply a question of a potential fine. Rob Bratby, managing partner at Bratby Law, describes information-notice integrity as the “regulatory plumbing” that underpins Ofcom’s operations. The top-line penalty for breaching Section 135 or 137A comes in at £2 million, with an additional £500 per day if the violation persists. Bratby Law
BT brands turned in uneven results in Ofcom’s 2025 service report. Plusnet broadband stood out with a 91% satisfaction score, topping the average. But when it came to order completion, both BT and EE managed to finish just 69% of broadband and landline orders by the promised date. That lagged behind rivals Sky, TalkTalk, and NOW Broadband, which each cleared 90% or more.
The inquiry comes as BT steps up efforts to move its last analogue landline users over to digital ahead of the nationwide changeover in January 2027. On Thursday, BT rolled out a campaign led by Clare Balding. Lucy Baker, Consumer Digital Voice Director, warned that customers ignoring messages from providers could end up dealing with disruption.
BT’s investment story remains tied to how quickly it can expand its network and bring in customers. In its third-quarter FY26 update, the company reported full fibre now passes 21.4 million premises, while 5G+ coverage stands at 69% of the UK population. Chief Executive Allison Kirkby reiterated BT’s cash flow outlook — roughly £2 billion expected next year, moving up to around £3 billion by decade’s end.
Fixed broadband’s still a battleground. BT’s Openreach network pipes in service for names like Sky and Vodafone, but CityFibre has been muscling in with its own fibre push—so for BT, the old incumbent, keeping an eye on service levels and churn matters more than ever.
But if Ofcom can’t find reasonable grounds that BT breached its duties, the investigation might wrap up without any enforcement. What’s more concerning for BT: if EE or Plusnet gets hit with a negative finding, it would undercut BT’s narrative that its service is on the upswing—right when it’s trying to convince investors to get behind the next phase of its turnaround.
