Nearly half of UK mobile phone users are unhappy with their service and one in five have switched networks as a result, according to a YouGov poll.

The survey of over 2,000 mobile phone users found that younger users are more likely to switch operators, with a quarter having changed providers due to poor service.

Across the wider population 19 per cent of those questioned had changed operator at least once, and a further quarter are considering doing so.

"Poor customer service can have a dramatic effect on customer loyalty and churn," said David Davies, vice president of products at software provider Corizon, which commissioned the survey.

"Call centres have invested heavily in many different technologies designed to improve the customer experience, but too often the agent is lost in a maze of complex IT systems as he tries to access information from an array of sources.

"Call centres need to simplify the tools they give agents and help them to resolve this customer service time bomb."

The chief complaints are having to explain problems to multiple operators (41 per cent) and being kept on the line too long (31 per cent). Over a quarter found that call centre staff are not even able to solve the problem that caused the service call.

With over 90 per cent of Britons now owning a mobile phone the battle to keep customers has become increasingly important. The highest spending group are 18-29 year olds, but the survey highlighted that they are among the most savvy users.