Thousands of Vodafone customers across the UK were left without internet and mobile data after a major network outage began on Monday, October 13, shortly after 3pm. The disruption affected broadband, 4G, and 5G services, with over 130,000 users unable to get online at its peak, according to Downdetector. As of Tuesday, October 14, reports of issues continued, with some areas in major cities like Glasgow and London still experiencing problems.
Under Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, Vodafone is obligated to refund customers when service disruptions occur. However, compensation is only triggered if the service is not fully fixed after two full working days from the time the fault is reported. For each calendar day the service remains unrepaired beyond that point, customers are entitled to £9.98 per day.
Vodafone has advised affected customers to contact them if issues persist. The company acknowledged the problem on its website, stating it was 'aware of a major issue on our network affecting broadband, 4G and 5G services.' As of now, most users appear to have regained connectivity, meaning compensation is not currently available for those whose service was restored within the two-day window.
For customers still offline, reporting the fault to Vodafone is essential to start the compensation clock. Ofcom notes that providers have systems to automatically issue compensation if repairs take too long, so customers do not need to request it separately. However, if the outage was brief, no compensation is due.
Melanie Pizzey, CEO of the Global Payroll Association, warned that prolonged disruption could delay paydays and lead to compensation claims from businesses. 'If this turns out to be more than just a technical issue, such as a cyber attack, the ramifications could be far-reaching,' she said. Vodafone has not yet commented on the root cause of the outage.
