While the telecom mediator still has a large number of complaints to deal with on the mobile side, as far as fixed lines are concerned, fiber optics takes over ADSL in terms of dissatisfaction.
The deployment of fiber optics continues at a good pace in France, so much so that the dismantling of the aging copper telephone network is beginning to be planned. And inevitably, the more fiber customers there are, the more disputes there are with access providers concerning this technology. So much so that in 2021, for the first time, the telecoms mediator Valérie Alvarez was seized more for problems related to optical fiber (30% of complaints, up 6%) than for ADSL (27% ). And this for a total number of 5,500 opinions given, a figure also on the rise, with an acceptance rate of over 90% by operators and consumers.
Disputes from subscription to connection
According to the mediator, this is a reflection of the current state of the market, which is increasingly focused on fiber optics, the deployment and marketing of which are causing dissatisfaction both among subscribers and those who would like to be. Because indeed, the problems subject to seizures sometimes begin even before the connection, during the subscription, when an address is indicated as eligible by the tests of the operators but that it is not in reality yet. This type of case is quite common and leads to disputes, especially since it is not uncommon for the connection work to be undertaken to be the responsibility of the future subscriber. For Valérie Alvarez, access providers should specify this point much more clearly to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Next, the mediator notes that a large number of seizures concern the connection and installation stage. There is a lot of subcontracting in the telecoms sector – and more particularly in optical fiber – and it happens that installers are poorly trained or want to go too fast by rushing the job. As a result, Valérie Alvarez has to intervene in more or less grotesque installation files, which have resulted in damage to electrical wires, doors, windows, etc. His recommendation: make sure you are at home when the work is being done, which avoids this kind of inconvenience most of the time.
Finally, comes the time of connection disruptions. As the network is “brand new”, it is not its obsolescence that is in question, and while occasional technical malfunctions may occur among operators, the majority of complaints for quality of service are linked to interventions on cabinets connection where the cables are sometimes very badly arranged, which can cause disconnections. It even happens that unscrupulous installers disconnect a subscriber to connect a new customer more quickly.
On the mobile side, price increases that do not pass
To conclude, the telecom mediator indicates in her annual report that 39% of complaints relate to mobile networks and that most follow an increase in subscription prices. Increases which may or may not be linked to the addition of a new option, and which generally raise the bill by a few euros. The mediator recommends that subscribers remain vigilant and reminds that these increases can be refused. You must therefore remain attentive, including to your spam, where these e-mails sometimes end up, and act in time.