FCC Consumer Complaints – 5 May 2015
Introduction
On 5 May 2015, 1040 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented an increase from the 894 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 53 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1040
- States & territories reporting
- 53
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (421)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (141)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1040 complaints were recorded on 5 May 2015, with reports originating from 695 cities in 53 states and territories. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant share. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
The table below shows the distribution of complaints by state and territory for this date, highlighting the locations with the highest number of reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 141 | 13.6% |
| Texas | 91 | 8.8% |
| Florida | 77 | 7.4% |
| New York | 60 | 5.8% |
| Illinois | 54 | 5.2% |
| Maryland | 41 | 3.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 38 | 3.7% |
| Georgia | 37 | 3.6% |
| Virginia | 34 | 3.3% |
| Washington | 30 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 429 | 41.3% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 90 different cities.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 829 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 829 | 79.7% |
| Internet | 103 | 9.9% |
| TV | 87 | 8.4% |
| Radio | 14 | 1.3% |
| Accessibility | 5 | 0.5% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
829 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 79.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 421 | 50.8% |
| Robocalls | 217 | 26.2% |
| Billing | 76 | 9.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 22 | 2.7% |
| Equipment | 19 | 2.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 19 | 2.3% |
| Privacy | 19 | 2.3% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 13 | 1.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 12 | 1.4% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 9 | 1.1% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) and Robocalls, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
103 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 42 | 40.8% |
| Privacy | 18 | 17.5% |
| Availability | 14 | 13.6% |
| Interference | 10 | 9.7% |
| Speed | 10 | 9.7% |
| Equipment | 9 | 8.7% |
Billing was the most commonly reported issue in this category, while other issues occurred less frequently.
TV complaints
87 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 40 | 46.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 13 | 14.9% |
| Equipment | 11 | 12.6% |
| Indecency | 8 | 9.2% |
| Availability | 7 | 8.0% |
| Interference | 3 | 3.4% |
| Privacy | 3 | 3.4% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Loud Commercials, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
The information presented on this page is based on consumer complaint data submitted to regulatory authorities. References to telephone numbers reflect reports made by consumers and do not confirm ownership, authenticity, or that the number was genuinely associated with the call. Caller ID information may be inaccurate or subject to spoofing.
Complaint categories, dates and complainant locations are based on the source records and may contain incomplete, approximate or user-entered information. Location details refer to the complainant’s reported location, not the location of the caller or telephone number. This content is provided for informational purposes only.