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Onecom Misselling: What UK Businesses Need to Know

Onecom Misselling: What UK Businesses Need to Know

1,400 Business Owners Cannot All Be Wrong

There is a Facebook group called "Onecom problems & mis-sold contracts" with over 1,400 members. That is not a handful of disgruntled customers. That is over a thousand business owners, sole traders and directors who feel strongly enough about their experience with Onecom to join a public group and share what happened to them.

When we speak to businesses looking to switch their mobile contracts, Onecom is one of the names that comes up most often. And the pattern of complaints is remarkably consistent.

We are Compare The Networks, an independent, OFCOM-regulated business telecoms comparison service. We have been helping UK businesses compare mobile deals across EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three since 2008. We are not here to tell anyone what to think about Onecom. We are here to lay out what businesses are reporting, what your rights are, and what your options look like if you want to explore alternatives.

The Pattern: How Onecom Misselling Complaints Typically Work

Based on what businesses tell us and what is publicly documented across Trustpilot, Reviews.io, and the Facebook group, the most common misselling complaints about Onecom follow a consistent pattern.

The Sales Call

Onecom's sales team contacts a business, often cold calling. The call is professional and the salesperson is persuasive. During the call, terms and conditions are read aloud, sometimes quickly, sometimes while other questions are being asked simultaneously. Multiple customers report that critical information, particularly about there being no cooling-off period for business contracts, is mentioned quietly or buried within other conversation.

This is a crucial point that many business owners do not realise: business-to-business contracts do not have the same cooling-off period as consumer contracts. Under consumer law, you get 14 days to cancel a contract signed at a distance. But business contracts are exempt from this protection. Once you agree, you are locked in.

The Pricing Trap

The initial deal looks competitive. Onecom commonly offers a cashback or discount model where the first 17 to 18 months of a 36-month contract are at an attractive rate. What many businesses report not fully understanding at the point of sale is what happens after that introductory period ends.

After the discount drops off, the monthly cost jumps significantly. Customers on Trustpilot report SIM-only prices going from reasonable rates to £80 or more per line. The only way to get back to the lower price is to re-sign for another full term, which extends your commitment all over again. Read our full breakdown of Onecom's pricing model.

The Lock-In

By the time the price increase hits, you are deep into a 36-month contract. You cannot leave without paying early termination fees. You either accept the higher price, or you renew early and reset the clock on your contract. Either way, Onecom wins.

What Customers Are Saying on Trustpilot

Onecom has over 13,000 reviews on Trustpilot. While the company does have positive reviews, the 1-star reviews paint a concerning picture. Common themes include:

  • Mis-sold contracts where the full terms were not clearly explained during the sales call
  • Price increases after the initial discount period that were far higher than expected
  • Difficulty reaching customer service once the contract is signed
  • Add-ons charged without clear consent, with customers reporting that services described as "free and included" during the call appeared as charges on the first bill
  • Aggressive retention tactics when customers try to leave
  • Claims that positive reviews are incentivised, with some reviewers questioning the authenticity of 5-star reviews

One recurring theme across review platforms is customers describing the sales process as deliberately designed to prevent them from fully understanding what they are agreeing to.

The CISAS Route: When Customers Fight Back

CISAS (Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme) is the independent adjudication service that handles disputes between telecoms providers and their customers. It is one of the routes available if you believe you have been mis-sold a contract.

What is notable is that multiple Onecom customers report successfully using CISAS to have their contracts cancelled on the grounds of misselling. When an independent adjudicator sides with the customer, it suggests the complaint has merit.

Critical Advice: Keep Everything in Writing

This is extremely important. Onecom may try to resolve your complaint over the phone. They may offer to discuss the issue verbally or propose a resolution during a call. Do not accept any complaint resolution over the phone.

Here is why: if your complaint progresses to CISAS, the adjudicator will review the evidence. Written evidence — emails, letters, formal responses — carries far more weight than your recollection of what was said during a phone call. If you accept a resolution verbally and Onecom later disputes what was agreed, you have no proof.

Always insist on:

  • Submitting your complaint in writing (email is fine)
  • Receiving Onecom's response in writing
  • Getting any proposed resolution confirmed in writing before you agree to anything
  • Keeping copies of every email, letter and document

If Onecom calls you about your complaint, it is perfectly reasonable to say: "Please put that in writing and email it to me. I want to review it properly before responding." Any reputable company will respect this request.

If you believe you have been mis-sold an Onecom contract, you have the right to:

  1. Complain to Onecom directly in writing using their complaints procedure
  2. Escalate to CISAS if Onecom does not resolve your complaint within 8 weeks, or if they issue a deadlock letter
  3. Contact Ofcom to report the issue, which contributes to industry-wide monitoring of provider behaviour

Why Business Contracts Have Fewer Protections

Many of the businesses caught in this situation are sole traders, freelancers and micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees. They are technically signing a business contract but operating at a scale where they would reasonably expect consumer-level protections.

The law does not see it that way. The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, which provide the 14-day cooling-off period, do not apply to business-to-business transactions. This is the gap that aggressive sales practices can exploit.

Ofcom has acknowledged this issue. Their guidance on how services are sold covers what to do if you believe a service was mis-sold to you. It is worth reading if you are in this situation.

What To Do If You Think You Have Been Mis-Sold

If you are currently in a Onecom contract and believe you were mis-sold, here are your practical options:

Step 1: Gather Evidence

  • Request a copy of the original sales call recording from Onecom — they are required to keep these
  • Collect all contract documentation, including any emails and order confirmations
  • Note down exactly what you were told during the sales call versus what you are now experiencing

Step 2: Complain to Onecom in Writing

  • Put your complaint in writing via email — never just over the phone
  • Be specific about what you believe was misrepresented
  • Ask for the contract to be cancelled without penalty on the grounds of misselling
  • Keep records of all communications
  • If they call you, ask them to put everything in an email instead

Step 3: Escalate If Needed

  • If Onecom does not resolve your complaint within 8 weeks, you can take it to CISAS
  • Do not accept a verbal resolution — get everything in writing for CISAS evidence
  • You can also report the issue to Ofcom
  • Consider joining the Facebook group "Onecom problems & mis-sold contracts" where over 1,400 affected businesses share advice and experiences

Step 4: Compare Your Options

  • Whether you succeed in cancelling your contract or need to wait until it expires, know what is available across the wider market
  • Get a free comparison across EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three so you know exactly what you should be paying

How to Avoid Being Mis-Sold in the Future

Whether it is Onecom or any other provider, here is how to protect your business:

  1. Never agree to anything on the first call. Any legitimate provider will give you time to consider their offer.
  2. Ask for everything in writing before you agree verbally. If a salesperson will not email you the full pricing breakdown including what happens after any discount period, walk away.
  3. Check the full-term cost, not just the introductory rate. A deal that costs £20 per month for 18 months then £80 per month for the remaining 18 months is actually a £50 per month deal on average.
  4. Compare across multiple networks. Onecom sells Vodafone. That is one network. There are four major networks in the UK and the pricing difference between them for the same usage can be significant.
  5. Use an independent comparison service. We compare deals from EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three and our service is completely free. The networks pay us, not you.

The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters

Misselling in business telecoms is not just an Onecom issue, though they are one of the most frequently mentioned providers in complaints. The underlying problem is that business mobile contracts have fewer regulatory protections than consumer contracts, and some providers exploit this gap.

As an OFCOM-regulated comparison service, we believe every business deserves to make an informed decision about their telecoms. That means understanding the full cost, checking coverage at every location, and comparing across all available networks before committing.

Get Out of the Onecom Cycle

Whether you are stuck in an Onecom contract, approaching renewal, or just want to know what else is out there, we can help.

Get a free quote and we will compare your options across EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three. It takes about 10 minutes, it is completely free, and there is no obligation.

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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.

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