4Com Complaints: How to Escalate to CISAS or Ofcom

If You Have a Complaint Against 4Com, Here Is the Full Escalation Route

4Com is a Bournemouth-based UK business telecoms reseller, trading since around 1999 (previously known as Hi-Com, according to several long-standing Trustpilot reviews). It sells business mobile, VoIP, broadband and its own Hihi-branded desk handsets — often financed through a third-party lease company. The 1-star reviews on uk.trustpilot.com/review/4com.co.uk describe a recurring set of complaints: 7-year equipment leases customers say they understood to be 2 years, rates trebling after an introductory discount period, exit fee quotes of £27,000 to £28,000, and verbal promises that customers say did not survive the written small print.

If you are in that position and want to complain, this is the guide.

We are Compare The Networks, an independent, OFCOM-regulated business telecoms comparison service. We have been helping UK businesses since 2008. We are not affiliated with 4Com, Hihi or Campfire. This article explains the formal complaint route, how CISAS adjudication works, what Ofcom does (and does not do) with individual complaints, and the single most important rule that applies throughout: keep everything in writing, and never accept a verbal resolution over the phone.

Why This Matters: B2B Contracts Have Fewer Protections

Business-to-business contracts are exempt from the 14-day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. That matters because many of the 4Com customers writing 1-star reviews describe being sole traders, micro-businesses or directors of small companies — technically "business" contracts, but in practice the kind of buyer consumer law was written to protect.

The protection you do have is misrepresentation law. If you were induced to sign a contract by a false or misleading statement — for example, being told the contract was 2 years when the finance document says 7 — that is a legal basis to challenge. That is the backbone of most CISAS adjudication claims.

Read our companion article on 4Com and the no cooling-off period trap for the full legal background.

The Golden Rule: Everything in Writing

This is the single most important rule in any telecoms complaint. It applies to 4Com, Hihi, Campfire, Propel/BNP Paribas (the finance company that customers on Trustpilot say administers the 7-year equipment lease), and every other provider in the UK market.

Why Written Evidence Wins

If your complaint progresses to CISAS, the adjudicator reviews the evidence. Written evidence — emails, letters, formal responses — carries far more weight than your recollection of a phone call. If you accept a resolution verbally and 4Com later disputes what was agreed, you have no proof.

What To Do When Someone Calls You About Your Complaint

4Com, like most providers, will often try to resolve complaints over the phone. Reviewers on Trustpilot describe retention agents ringing repeatedly, offering partial goodwill gestures, or proposing renewals. You are under no obligation to accept a verbal conversation.

If 4Com (or Hihi, or Campfire, or Propel) calls you about your complaint, say:

"Please put that in writing and email it to me. I want to review it properly before responding."

Any legitimate company will respect this request. If they refuse, note that refusal in writing to them — it becomes evidence for CISAS.

Written-Evidence Checklist

Submit your complaint in writing (email is fine — letter if you want extra weight)
Ask for 4Com's response in writing
Ask for any proposed resolution in writing before agreeing
Keep every email, letter, and document
If you do have to speak by phone, follow up with an email summarising what was said: "Further to our call at 10:32 today, I understand you offered X. Please confirm in writing."
Date-stamp and save everything

Step 1: Gather Your Evidence

Before you write a word of your complaint, build the file.

Contract documents

The 4Com service agreement
The separate finance agreement (often with Propel, BNP Paribas or similar) covering the Hihi handsets — customers repeatedly report on Trustpilot that this document is the one they did not realise ran for 7 years
Any quotes, proposals, or sales slides received before signing
Terms and conditions referenced in the contract (request a copy if you do not have one)

Communications

All emails to and from the sales team
Any letters received
SMS/WhatsApp if relevant
Handwritten notes on dates, times, and contents of phone calls

Sales call recording

Request the recording of the sales call in writing. Under UK GDPR, a business principal can submit a subject access request for personal data held about them — which includes sales call recordings where they were a participant. 4Com are required to keep these recordings for a retention period. Ask for it formally. If they say it has been deleted, that itself is something to record.

Bills and billing history

Every invoice since the contract began
Any letters or emails about charges, late fees, or rate increases
Bank statements showing direct debit amounts month by month (this catches the "rate trebled after the discount" pattern several Trustpilot reviewers describe)

Service issues

Dates and durations of outages
Screenshots of fault-report acknowledgements
Impact on your business — quantified if you can (lost calls, missed sales, staff time)

Step 2: Write a Formal Complaint to 4Com

You cannot go to CISAS first. You have to give 4Com a fair chance to resolve the complaint. This is called "exhausting the provider's complaints procedure."

Where to Send It

Check 4Com's current complaints address on their website (look for "complaints procedure" or "code of practice"). Email is acceptable and creates a timestamped record. Follow up with recorded-delivery post if you want belt-and-braces.

Structure

A good complaint letter has three parts:

1. What you were told State clearly what you understood the deal to be. Quote the sales email, proposal or call notes if you have them. Reference the date and name of the salesperson.

2. What the contract actually says State the actual terms — length, price, features, finance company, handset count. Reference the specific clauses.

3. Why you believe this is misselling (or a breach) Explain the gap. Be factual. Avoid emotive language. Adjudicators want evidence, not outrage.

Example Opening

"I signed a business telecoms agreement with 4Com on [date]. During the sales call on [date] the salesperson, [name], told me the contract was [2 years / £X per month / included XYZ handsets at no additional cost]. The signed agreement, together with the separate finance agreement with [Propel / BNP Paribas], runs for 7 years at a combined cost significantly higher than represented. I believe this is misrepresentation and I am formally complaining under 4Com's complaints procedure. I request [outcome — cancellation without penalty / refund / amendment]. Please respond in writing."

What Outcome to Ask For

Be specific. Vague complaints produce vague answers. Possible outcomes include:

Cancellation of both the 4Com service agreement and the separate finance agreement with no early termination fee
Refund of charges already paid above what was represented
Amendment of future charges back to the represented rate
A written apology
Formal deadlock letter if they refuse to resolve

Step 3: The 8-Week Deadlock

Under Ofcom's rules, if a provider has not resolved your complaint within 8 weeks from the date you first complained, you can escalate to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme — for 4Com, that is CISAS.

You can escalate earlier than 8 weeks if 4Com issues you a deadlock letter — a written statement that the complaint is unresolved and they will not change their position. Ask for a deadlock letter explicitly if you believe 4Com is stalling. A refusal to issue one is itself evidence.

Step 4: Escalating to CISAS

CISAS (Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme) is the independent telecoms adjudicator. It is free for consumers and small businesses. The adjudicator reviews evidence and makes a binding decision — the provider must comply.

How to File

Go to cisas.org.uk and follow the claim process. You will submit:

Your written complaint
4Com's written response (or evidence they did not respond)
All supporting evidence — contracts, emails, bills, sales materials, call notes
The outcome you are seeking

Eligibility

CISAS covers disputes with providers who are CISAS members. Check the CISAS website for current membership and financial limits on awards. Micro-businesses (fewer than 10 employees) are generally covered.

Timing

Once filed, the process typically takes a few weeks to a few months depending on complexity. You do not pay. Remedies available include contract cancellation, refunds, bill amendments, and capped financial compensation.

What CISAS Cannot Do

CISAS is not a court and cannot order damages for consequential business loss beyond its caps. If your loss is genuinely large (tens of thousands) you may additionally consider legal advice about a Small Claims or court route — but CISAS first, because it is free and its decision is still binding.

Step 5: Reporting to Ofcom

Ofcom does not resolve individual disputes. Tell your friends, then tell them again. Ofcom is a regulator. It monitors providers at an industry level. When many customers report the same pattern against the same provider, Ofcom may act — enforcement notices, rule changes, or fines. That matters, but it will not cancel your contract.

File a report anyway at ofcom.org.uk. It contributes to the pattern-monitoring picture. It is also evidence, later, that you exhausted every route.

What About the Finance Company (Propel / BNP Paribas)?

This is one of the most confusing aspects of 4Com complaints. Trustpilot reviewers repeatedly describe signing what they believed was a single agreement, and later discovering that the equipment side (the Hihi handsets) was on a separate finance agreement with a third party — commonly Propel Finance (part of the BNP Paribas group) or similar.

Why It Matters

Even if you cancel the 4Com service contract, the finance agreement for the equipment may continue separately. You may owe the finance company for the remainder of a 7-year lease on handsets you no longer want to use.

What to Do

Write a separate complaint to the finance company
Reference the misrepresentation — that you were sold the finance as part of a combined 2-year 4Com package, not a standalone 7-year lease
Request they cancel or settle the agreement
If they refuse and you believe misrepresentation occurred, raise a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) — finance agreements fall under the FOS remit, not CISAS

You may end up running two complaints in parallel — CISAS against 4Com for the service, FOS against the finance company for the lease. Annoying but necessary.

Read our detailed 4Com finance agreement trap article for the mechanics of how these two contracts interact.

What If You Are Told "You Signed, You Are Stuck"

This is what Trustpilot reviewers most often report being told when they first ring 4Com. It is not the end of the conversation. Misrepresentation claims do not require a cooling-off period. They require evidence of a false statement that induced the contract.

If you have evidence — sales email contradicting the contract, call notes, a witness to the sales pitch, a pattern of other customers reporting the same experience — you have a claim. CISAS will decide, not 4Com.

Common Complaint Themes Reported on Trustpilot

According to 1-star reviews on uk.trustpilot.com/review/4com.co.uk, recurring complaints include:

Customers told the contract was 2 years, signing finance documents running for 7 years
Rates significantly increased after an 18 to 24-month introductory discount period (see our 4Com price increases article)
Exit termination quotes of £27,000 to £28,000
Aggressive same-day sign-on-the-DocuSign pressure
Verbal inclusions that appeared as line items on the first bill
Dropped calls, broadband outages and Hihi handset faults
Retention teams requiring customers to sign new 7-year agreements to retain a lower rate
Confusion between the 4Com, Hihi and Campfire entities
Small-print terms not walked through before signature
Poor, slow customer service post-sale

We report what reviewers publicly state. We are not making direct accusations of 4Com's corporate conduct. Read the reviews yourself at uk.trustpilot.com/review/4com.co.uk and judge.

What If You Just Want Out?

Not every complaint needs to go to CISAS. Some customers simply want to leave. If that is you:

Read our how to leave 4Com guide
Understand the 4Com early termination fees
Compare what honest business VoIP should cost on a 24-month term
Get a VoIP quote and we will compare alternatives

If the exit fee is less than the savings from switching to an honest alternative, leaving early can still make financial sense.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make a formal complaint against 4Com?

Email your complaint to 4Com's complaints address with specific detail on what was misrepresented and the outcome you want. Reference their complaints procedure, request a response in writing, and keep copies of everything. Never resolve verbally — you need written evidence for any CISAS escalation.

What is CISAS and does it cover 4Com?

CISAS (Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme) is the independent telecoms adjudicator. It is free for consumers and small businesses and its decisions are binding on the provider. 4Com, as a UK telecoms provider, is required to be a member of an approved ADR scheme — check cisas.org.uk for current membership and eligibility.

How long do I have to wait before going to CISAS?

Eight weeks from the date you first complained, unless 4Com issues a deadlock letter earlier. Ask explicitly for a deadlock letter if you believe they are stalling — refusal to issue one is itself evidence.

Does Ofcom resolve individual 4Com complaints?

No. Ofcom is a regulator and does not adjudicate individual disputes. File a report anyway at ofcom.org.uk — it contributes to industry monitoring and is useful evidence that you pursued every route.

Should I accept a resolution over the phone from 4Com?

No. Always insist on written communication. If your complaint progresses to CISAS, written evidence carries far more weight than your recollection of a phone call. Ask 4Com to put any proposed resolution in writing before you agree to anything.

Explore Your Options

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About this article. Claims reported here are attributed to public reviews on Trustpilot and similar platforms. They represent the opinions of the reviewers cited, not statements of fact by Compare The Networks. Brands named may dispute these claims. If you are a brand representative who believes any content requires correction, please contact us.

4Com Complaints: How to Escalate to CISAS or Ofcom (2026)