During the state of emergency associated to the COVID-19 pandemic (19 March a 2 May), ANACOM recorded around 10.3 thousand complaints derived from the electronic complaints book, of which around 6.8 thousand referred to electronic communications services and around 3.5 thousand to postal services. Just in the month of April, around 9 thousand complaints were recorded in the electronic complaints book, 29% more than in the same period of the previous year.
Postal services are primarily responsible for the increase of complaints during the state of emergency period. These complaints more than doubled in the month of April, having shifted from around 1.5 thousand complaints to around 3.2 thousand complaints (+110%). In this sector, DPD is highlighted, due to having recorded 1.3 thousand complaints in April compared to 113 complaints in the same period of the previous year, and currently accounts for 42% of the sector's complaints. CTT also received an increase in the number of complaints in this period (+28%), representing 54% of the sector's complaints.
Late delivery, especially with respect to the parcel service, the lack of attempted delivery to the receiver and delivery failures were the subjects most claimed by the users in April, and that also increased most year-on-year, alongside the attendance service.
Electronic communications services continued to be the most complained about, having recorded around 5.7 thousand complaints in the month of April (+6%). MEO was the provider with the highest share of complaints (36%), followed by VODAFONE (31%) and NOS (29%). The subjects most claimed were related to contract management and the breakdown of services, especially fixed and, in particular, the internet access service. There was also a notable increase of complaints about speed of access to the internet during this period.
Complaints rise in the 1st post-state of emergency week
In the first post-state of emergency week (2 May to 8 May), use of the electronic complaints book increased, with 1960 complaints having been recorded via this method, 7% more than in the previous week.
Postal services most contributed to this increase, having received 812 complaints in this period, 25% more than in the previous week. This sector accounted for 41% of the total complaints recorded by ANACOM, compared to 20% in the week in which the state of emergency started, having recorded the highest number of complaints since the beginning of the crisis currently being experienced. CTT received the most claims, with 475 complaints, an increase of 38% in relation to the previous week.
Electronic communications appear to be undergoing a period of stabilisation, having recorded a reduction of 2% of the complaints this week, in relation to the previous week. In this sector, there was a notorious increase in complaints related to service breakdowns (+39%) and internet speed (+109%).
Consult:
- Serviços de comunicações em Portugal - semana de 2 a 8 de maio https://www.anacom-consumidor.pt/-/servicos-de-comunicacoes-em-portugal-semana-de-2-a-8-de-maio
