In 2012, ICP-ANACOM received a total of 57,220 complaints from users of electronic communications services and the general public (24.3% more than in 2011). As such ICP-ANACOM received an average of 4,768 complaints per month.
Complaint books1 remained the primary means by which ICP-ANACOM received complaints in 2012, with an increase of 4% in the number of such complaints reported in 2012 an increase of 4%, representing about 66% of the total volume of complaints received. The total volume of complaints sent directly to ICP-ANACOM rose significantly in this period, by about 99% to 19,547 complaints; the migration to DTT (including issues related to the DTT signal) was the main reason for this rise.
The 57,220 complaints referred to above correspond to a total of 80,883 individual complaint records (a complaint may target more than one provider, service or subject).
About 1.8% of total records were unintelligible, lacked content or were cancelled by the person making the complaint and 11.9% referred to matters outside ICP-ANACOM's remit, including records whose content does not refer to the sectors regulated by ICP-ANACOM and including records that refer to the areas regulated by ICP-ANACOM but which concern issues beyond the scope of ICP-ANACOM's intervention, such as issues related to faults and technical assistance provided for equipment or inaccuracies in billing. In both cases, and whenever possible, ICP-ANACOM referred these complainants to the competent authorities.
Among the remaining records that fell within the scope of its remit, ICP-ANACOM found evidence of non-compliance with applicable sector legislation as regards:
- Unblocking equipment for access to electronic communications services.
- Suspension of electronic communications services.
- Alteration of conditions in electronic communications service contracts.
- Frequency of billing of electronic communications services.
- Cancellation of electronic communications services.
- Deactivation of pre-selection (telephone service at a fixed location).
- Operation of call centres of providers of communications services.
- Availability and conditions of use of complaint books.
- Barring of valued added services based on SMS and multimedia messaging service (MMS).
- Transition to DTT (unfair trade practices, refusal of reimbursements and other irregularities).
In the remaining complaints, given the absence of such indications and with the vast majority referring to strictly contractual situations (related to aspects of quality of service, tariffs, cancellation, service installation, among others), ICP-ANACOM assumes an informative role, giving consumers and other users clear information on the issues raised, in particular, about applicable legislation and the bodies which can help them resolve the conflict with their provider.
In the processing of all complaints received and wherever deemed necessary, ICP-ANACOM cooperates closely with the service providers and with organisations with expertise in consumer protection.
Since August 2009, ICP-ANACOM has also taken part in the RTIC - Rede Telemática de Informação Comum (Telematic Network of Common Information), which is the responsibility of the Direcção-Geral do Consumidor (Directorate General for the Consumer). This system lets the complainant check the status of complaints they have submitted using complaint books.
1 Established by Decree-Law no. 156/2005 of 15 September (as subsequently amended).
- 15.1. Complaints by sector https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=353074
