Ofcom has fined Virgin Media £28 million, its largest-ever consumer protection penalty, after finding the company stopped or delayed customers from switching away from its services. Across nearly three years, Ofcom says millions of customer calls about cancelling contracts were likely mishandled. The regulator found customers experienced outcomes such as being kept on hold or having calls transferred between departments, rather than being allowed to proceed with cancellation. According to Ofcom, the handling of these calls meant some customers could not complete their switching requests as intended, affecting their ability to change provider. The fine is linked to Ofcom’s consumer protection concerns about how Virgin Media managed contract cancellation requests. Virgin Media is facing the financial penalty following Ofcom’s assessment of call records and practices over the period in question. The reported issues cover delays and barriers encountered when customers attempted to end their contracts and move to other suppliers.