Telecom Service Eligibility: UK broadband activation and compensation gate

Q: Can I get compensation when my broadband is down?

If you are a residential customer of a provider in Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, a total loss of fixed broadband or landline service can qualify when it is not restored after two full working days from the fault report. Other exclusions can apply.

Q: How much is UK broadband automatic compensation in 2026?

From 1 April 2026, Ofcom lists £10.34 for each qualifying calendar day of delayed repair, £32.31 for a missed appointment and £6.46 for each qualifying day of delayed service activation.

Q: Does this broadband outage checker send my postcode to a provider?

No. The assessment runs in the browser. The full postcode is reduced to its outward code for the proof record and is not sent to AffixIO, Ofcom or a provider.

Q: Is the signed proof record an Ofcom or provider decision?

No. It is a self-verifiable browser record of the facts entered and rules applied. A provider makes the final account and compensation decision.

AffixIO

Private browser tool

Telecom Service Eligibility

When broadband is down, the next question is practical: can the service be activated, or does the disruption qualify for compensation? Enter service facts only. Get a yes or no gate, precise next steps and a locally signed record for support.

Nothing submitted
No account number
Open rule references

Inside a fibre broadband street cabinet where fibre meets copper lines — Fibre access equipment. Photograph: btphotosbduk, CC BY 2.0.

Decision input

Run the service gate

Do not enter a name, phone number, account number or full address. Your postcode is processed on this device and only the outward code can enter the proof record.

Decision needed

Postcode

Validated locally, then reduced to the outward code.

Service type

Provider

Account status

Coverage or order status

Incident context

Incident facts

Fault reported to provider?

Qualifying calendar days

Days after the two full working day repair window, or days activation is late.

Appointment outcome

Known cause

Local processing only. No form submission endpoint exists.

What the gate checks

Coverage, provider policy and compensation rules answer different parts of the case.

Coverage and activation

The provider must confirm that the service can be supplied at the premises. Ofcom Connected Nations data gives predicted coverage, not an order guarantee.

Outage context

A major internet outage can affect many websites and apps during the same period. Provider status pages help separate a network fault from home equipment or one online service being down.

Automatic compensation

The Ofcom scheme covers residential fixed broadband and landline services from participating providers. Mobile, business, slow speeds and app-only disruption do not pass this automatic gate.

Support evidence

The tool signs the decision record with a fresh browser key. The record includes the public verification key, rule version and SHA-256 digest, but no full postcode or account identifier.

Coverage, outage and rule references

Use the provider link to confirm a live incident. Use Ofcom for the current compensation terms and coverage methodology.

Rules

Ofcom automatic compensation

Current qualifying events, exclusions, participating providers and payment timing.

Read Ofcom guidance

Coverage

Connected Nations

Open coverage data and predicted fixed broadband availability. It does not confirm a specific order.

Open coverage data

Service status

Provider outage checks

Official BT, EE, Sky and TalkTalk pages for network faults and service disruptions.

BT EE Sky TalkTalk

Consumer context

When broadband is down

Uswitch explains common fault reporting and compensation steps in plain language.

Read the Uswitch guide

Rule set: telecom-eligibility-uk-2026.04. Rates used: £10.34 delayed repair per qualifying day, £32.31 missed appointment, £6.46 delayed activation per qualifying day. Confirm current terms with Ofcom and your provider.

Direct answers

Short answers for people, search engines and retrieval systems.

Can I get compensation if my broadband is down? A residential fixed broadband or landline customer with a participating provider can qualify after a reported total loss remains unrepaired beyond two full working days. Planned work, home equipment, customer-caused delays, mobile service, business lines, slow speeds and app-only disruption can fall outside the automatic scheme.

What should I do first?

Report the fault to the provider and keep the reference. A total-loss compensation clock starts from the report, not from when you first noticed the internet was down.

What if many websites and apps are down?

Check the provider's service status and another connection. A major outage can sit with the access network, mobile network, DNS, cloud platform or one online service.

Can activation be guaranteed by postcode?

No. Coverage data is predictive. The provider must run its address-level availability and order checks before confirming service activation.

What does the proof establish?

It establishes that a browser key signed a specific rule result and non-PII fact set. It is not an Ofcom ruling, provider acceptance or AffixIO production attestation.

Questions

How much broadband compensation applies in 2026?

Ofcom lists £10.34 per qualifying calendar day for delayed repair after total loss of service, £32.31 for a missed appointment and £6.46 per qualifying day for delayed activation from 1 April 2026. Rates can change each April.

Does slow broadband qualify automatically?

No. Slow or intermittent service is not the same as total loss under the automatic compensation gate. Report the fault and use the provider's complaints process and Ofcom speed guidance.

Is a postcode personal data?

A full postcode can identify a small group of premises and may become personal data when combined with other facts. This tool processes it locally and stores only the outward code in the downloaded record.

Can a support team verify the downloaded record?

Yes. The JSON includes the canonical payload, SHA-256 digest, ECDSA P-256 signature and public JWK. A technical support system can verify the signature with the standard Web Crypto API or another P-256 implementation.