Issues related to billing, contracting of services and technical assistance dominated complaints about electronic communications in 2023. Issues giving rise to large numbers of complaints during this period also include faults and service cancellations. The complaints that increased the most were those related to price increases.
In total, ANACOM received around 107.1 thousand written complaints about communications service providers in 2023, around 3 thousand fewer complaints (-2%) than received in 2022. Of these, 69.8 thousand complaints (65% of the total) concern electronic communications, a reduction of 4% compared to 2022; and 37.3 thousand complaints (35% of the total) were related to the postal sector.
In telecommunications, billing for services was the issue giving rise to the largest proportion of complaints (19.1% of complaints). Vodafone was cited in 41% of complaints related to billing. Contracting of services was the issue giving rise to the second largest number of complaints, with a focus on NOS and Vodafone, which were each cited in 37% of complaints about this issue. Issues with technical assistance also gave rise to a substantial number of complaints (13.1% of complaints), with MEO cited in 35% of such complaints.
The biggest increase in complaints came from those about price increases
Complaints about service price rises saw the biggest increase in 2023 - this was also the issue that gave rise to the biggest increase in complaints involving NOS. Delayed or poor initial connection of fixed services was the issue with the second largest increase in the period and continues to be the issue generating most complaints by service users, referenced in 17% of complaints in the sector. On the other hand, penalty charges for early cancellation following changes in the complainant’s circumstances was the issue that saw the biggest decrease in 2023.
NOS was the provider that registered the most complaints per thousand customers (7.5 complaints per thousand customers), followed by Vodafone with 6.6 complaints per thousand customers and MEO with 3.7 complaints per thousand customers. In absolute terms, Vodafone was the provider that registered the most complaints (35%), even though the number of complaints involving the company decreased compared to 2022. NOS was the service provider with the second largest number of complaints in 2023 (34% of total complaints in the sector), followed by MEO with 29%, and NOWO with 3%.
With the exception of NOS (+4%), all the larger service providers saw a decrease in complaints compared to 2022. NOWO recorded the biggest decrease (-26%), followed by Vodafone (-9%) and MEO (-4%).
By district, Lisbon leads in terms of complaints, with around 84 complaints per 10,000 inhabitants about electronic communications. The Autonomous Region of the Azores and Guarda are the regions with the fewest complaints about these services, with 20 complaints per 10,000 inhabitants.
Postal sector gets 37.2 thousand complaints
In the postal sector, there were 37.3 thousand registered complaints, which is in line with the number of complaints recorded in 2022. CTT was responsible for 30.5 thousand complaints, around 82% of the total, but recorded a 4% decrease in complaints compared to 2022.
DPD was the provider with the second largest number of complaints (3.4 thousand complaints), an increase of 37% compared to 2022. The set of providers with the fewest complaints (UPS, General Logistics, Ibercourier, DHL, among others) represents around 9% of total complaints registered by ANACOM with regard to postal services, but also saw an increase in the volume of complaints (+17%) in this period.
Failure to attempt home delivery was the most mentioned reason in complaints about postal services, accounting for 21% of all complaints in the sector and 18% of complaints involving CTT. Among the complaint issues that increased the most compared to 2022, loss of national registered mail and lack of information on item tracking stand out. On the other hand, complaints about the customs clearance of postal items and delays in the delivery of international postal items decreased.
By district, Faro and Lisbon were the districts that stood out most, with around 50 complaints per 10,000 inhabitants, while Guarda recorded the lowest complaint rate with 10 complaints per 10,000 inhabitants. In total, Lisbon, Setúbal and Faro recorded a rate of complaints about communications services in excess of 100 complaints per 10,000 inhabitants in 2023.
Consult:
- Estatísticas - reclamações sobre serviços de comunicações https://www.anacom-consumidor.pt/reclamacoes-no-sector-das-comunicacoes
