Mobile-phone customers are not a happy bunch.
They filed more than 18,000 complaints last year with the
Better Business Bureau, which says the wireless industry was second only to car dealers as a source of consumer problems.
Cell-phone users complained most about billing issues, followed by poor customer service and miscommunication -- instances when customers believed a carrier deceived them or misrepresented the terms of the service contract.
Better Business Bureau senior vice president Charles Underhill thinks the industry's main problem is growing pains. He noted that 10 years ago, the business was relatively small.
Since then, it has experienced phenomenal growth and has been scrambling to keep up with huge consumer demand.
Underhill said at least progress is being made, because the number of complaints last year was down from 2002's level.
The 10 most-complained about industries:
Automobile dealers
Mobile phones
Credit cards
Internet services
Credit collection
Mortgage and escrow
Computer sales
Home furnishings
Telephone companies
Banks
Overally, the BBB and its local chapters handled more than 1.9 million complaints in Canada and the United States last year.
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
