Ofcom has imposed a £28m fine on Virgin Media for systematically obstructing customers' attempts to cancel their contracts between January 2022 and September 2024.

The regulator found that call centre agents employed tactics such as deliberately hanging up calls, excessive transfers, and unnecessary hold times to delay or prevent customers from switching providers.These practices were part of a commission scheme that financially incentivised such behaviour.Virgin Media admitted its failings and agreed to settle, leading to a 30% reduction in the penalty.

The fine marks Ofcom's largest ever under consumer protection rules, surpassing previous records set against Royal Mail (£50m, 2018) and BT (£42m, 2017).

The regulator highlighted that Virgin's actions created a disincentive for customers seeking to exit contracts, with millions of calls likely mishandled.

Virgin has since implemented changes to its commission structure, training protocols, and customer service processes, claiming improvements in complaint resolution rates.