AMNET Tops list of Consumer Complaints

The local private cable company AMNET had the dubious distinction of having the highest number of complaints filed with the regulatory agency Sutel against Internet providers, the agency reported last week.

SUTEL is the court of last resort, after the user has exhausted all other avenues of recourse, so the number of complaints could be a hundred times higher. Many Ticos simply give up rather than pursue a complaint with a company to the bitter end.

Of the 343 complaints investigated in 2011 by the supervisory agency, 24 were AMNET's. They included a slower rate of connection than was contracted and charged for, service outages and contract problems.

According to SUTEL, the main complaint against AMNET was being charged for a service not received or received but not as promised. SUTEL said that of the 24 complaints specifcally against cable and Internet providers, AMNET accounted for 10, RACSA 6, Cabletica and Cablevision 3 each, with one each against Sky and Telecable.

Amnet is a major player here among cable companies and has coverage throughout the country.