Reduction of the use of communications, Internet speed tests and complaints

In the week of 18 to 24 May 2020, electronic communications traffic fell in relation to the previous week, by 7% in the case of data and 2% in the case of voice. After the exceptional growth observed following the declaration of pandemic and the beginning of the state of emergency, traffic appears to have embarked on a downward trajectory, in the week under review having reached its lowest value since the week of 2 to 8 March in the case of voce, and since the start of the state of emergency in the case of data traffic.

Figure 1 – Weekly evolution of voice and traffic data since February 2020

Figure 1 - Weekly evolution of voice and traffic data since February 2020

Unit: TB (left axis), Million minutes (right axis)
Source: ANACOM

All types of traffic declined. Compared to the previous week, fixed data traffic declined by 7% and mobile data traffic declined by 3%, with the latter being lower than the traffic of the week before the declaration of pandemic. In the case of voice traffic, both mobile voice traffic (-2%) and fixed voice traffic (-5%) decreased.

**Percentage variation in relation to the previous week**
	Week of 18 to 24 May 2020
TOTAL VOICE TRAFFIC	-2%
Traffic of the telephone service at a fixed location (minutes)	-5%
Traffic of the mobile telephone service (minutes)	-2%
TOTAL DATA TRAFFIC	-7%
Volume of Internet traffic (in GB)	-7%
Mobile data traffic (in GB)	-3%
ACCESSES
Accesses at fixed locations	0.1%
(of which) of residential customers	0.1%
Mobile accesses with effective use	-0.4%
(of which) allocated to post-paid and hybrid plans	-0.1%
(of which) of residential customers	0.0%

Note: Provisional and estimated data calculated based on the information of the four main entities that provide electronic communications.

Data traffic is still 40% above the figures recorded in the pre-Covid-19 period, with fixed data representing more than 95% of the total. Voice traffic was 15% higher than that recorded in the week before the declaration of pandemic. Mobile voice accounts for 88% of total voice traffic.

**% Variation in relation to the pre-COVID-19 period**
	Week of 18 to 24 May 2020
TOTAL VOICE TRAFFIC	15%
Traffic of the telephone service at a fixed location (minutes)	18%
Traffic of the mobile telephone service (minutes)	15%
TOTAL DATA TRAFFIC	40%
Volume of fixed Internet traffic (in GB)	43%
Mobile data traffic (in GB)	-5%
ACCESSES
Accesses at fixed locations	0.8%
(of which) of residential customers	0.8%
Mobile accesses with effective use	-2.3%
(of which) allocated to post-paid and hybrid plans	-0.5%
(of which) of residential customers	0.0%

Note: Provisional and estimated data calculated based on the information of the four main entities that provide electronic communications.

Less Internet speed tests

In a week in which there was less use of data, there was also a reduction of tests carried out to ascertain Internet access speed through NET.mede.

In the week of 18 to 24 May 2020, in residential fixed accesses there was a daily average of 4021 tests, corresponding to a decrease of 14% in relation to the previous week. The main time frame occurred between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m, with a slight peak at 3 p.m. These outcomes reflect, among other factors, the effect of remote working from home and distance learning.

With respect to mobile accesses, 1090 tests were carried out, 0.5% less than the previous week, with the peak being recorded at 7 p.m and between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Lisbon, Porto and Oeiras continued to be the municipalities with the highest number of tests, both in residential fixed accesses and in mobile accesses.

Parcel volume declined by 5%

The volume of parcels also fell during this week (5%) in relation to the previous week. After the minimum reached in the week following the beginning of the state of emergency, the volume of parcels started on a trend of recovery which led to its surpassing (week of 13 to 19 April) the values recorded in the weeks before the declaration of pandemic and attainment of a peak in the week after the end of the state of emergency and the beginning of deconfinement (4 to 10 May). In the last two weeks, the volume fell, but is 18% above the value of the pre-Covid-19 period.

Figure 2 – Weekly evolution of parcel traffic since February 2020

Figure 2 - Weekly evolution of parcel traffic since February 2020

Unit: 1 parcel
Source: ANACOM

National parcels and parcels sent to other countries decreased by 6% and 4%, respectively. Parcels received from abroad declined by 1%.

**Percentage variation of postal parcels traffic in relation to the previous week**
	Week of 18 to 24 May 2020
National	-6%
Outbound international	-4%
Inbound international	-1%
TOTAL	-5%

Note: Provisional and estimated data calculated based on information representing approximately 75% of parcel traffic.

The volume of all types of parcels is higher than the values recorded in the week before the declaration of pandemic (week of 2 to 8 March 2020).

**Percentage variation of postal parcels traffic in relation to the pre-COVID-19 period**
	Week of 18 to 24 May 2020
National	18%
Outbound international	5%
Inbound international	26%
TOTAL	18%

Note: Provisional and estimated data calculated based on information representing approximately 75% of parcel traffic.

Complaints also fall

In terms of complaints, there was also a reduction. Between 16 and 22 May, 1956 complaints about communication services were submitted in the electronic complaints book, 12% less than in the previous week.

Complaints about electronic communications fell by 12% and represent 65% of the sector total, while complaints about postal services represent 35%, having also fallen by 12% in this week.

Despite the reduction of the number of complaints about telecommunications, there was an increase of complaints related to the cancellation of services, Internet speed and equipment. Problems related to contract management, cancellation and the breakdown of services continue to be the subjects most claimed by the users. Vodafone was the operator that received most complaints for the second week consecutively.

In the postal sector, there were less complaints as a whole, but there were more complaints against some of the larger postal providers. Late delivery continues to be the subject most claimed by the users, with a slight increase having been recorded. Postal items that have gone astray or are significantly late is the second subject most indicated by the users for the second week consecutively. CTT continues to be the operator that receives most complaints in this sector.