Consumer complaints in the past weeklong National Day holiday were nearly 20 percent higher than in the same period last year.

The focus was on mobile phones, Internet services and aftersale services.

The city's 12315 consumer hot line heard 608 complaints in seven days, including 42 tips about illegal business operations such as unlicensed stores and counterfeit goods, according to Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau.

The holiday is usually taken by various markets and stores as a good opportunity to boost sales, with all kinds of promotions and discounts.

Communications devices have drawn 72 complaints, more than doubling the figure at the same time last year. Ninety percent targeted mobile phones.

The complaints have moved from problems like inferior communications quality and bad aftersale service to handset accessories and their functions, such as earphones, USB access, cameras and games.

Gripes over Internet services also more than doubled to 44.

Problems are slow Internet access or frequent breakdowns, and disputes between the players and game runners over stolen passwords and unusable game cards.

Bad aftersale service was the third biggest complaint target which drew 44 grievances.

There were 40 complaints about telecommunications services and 37 about audio-visual products like TV sets and MP3 players.

(Shanghai Daily October 8, 2005)