FCC Consumer Complaints – 22 August 2015
Introduction
On Saturday, 22 August 2015, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 593 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 1094 complaints the previous day. Complaints were reported across 45 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) was the most frequently reported issue, with 185 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 593
- States & territories reporting
- 45
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (185)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (73)
Where the complaints came from
On 22 August 2015, the 593 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 410 cities across 45 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. At the city level, a significant concentration was observed in Maryland, where Frederick accounted for 48 of the 61 complaints recorded.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 73 | 12.3% |
| Maryland | 61 | 10.3% |
| Florida | 47 | 7.9% |
| Georgia | 34 | 5.7% |
| New York | 33 | 5.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 28 | 4.7% |
| Texas | 28 | 4.7% |
| Illinois | 22 | 3.7% |
| Washington | 21 | 3.5% |
| Michigan | 16 | 2.7% |
| Other states and territories | 229 | 38.6% |
Location highlights
- A large share of complaints in Maryland originated from Frederick, which accounted for most reports within the state.
- Complaints in California were reported across 55 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 340 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 340 | 57.3% |
| Internet | 117 | 19.7% |
| TV | 77 | 13.0% |
| Radio | 56 | 9.4% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.3% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
340 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 57.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 185 | 54.4% |
| Robocalls | 92 | 27.1% |
| Billing | 20 | 5.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 12 | 3.5% |
| Equipment | 9 | 2.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 2.6% |
| Privacy | 7 | 2.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 0.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 2 | 0.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.3% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.3% |
Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) and Robocalls were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
117 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 28 | 23.9% |
| Billing | 27 | 23.1% |
| Speed | 20 | 17.1% |
| Privacy | 15 | 12.8% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 12 | 10.3% |
| Interference | 9 | 7.7% |
| Equipment | 6 | 5.1% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Availability, Billing and Speed.
TV complaints
77 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 30 | 39.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 16 | 20.8% |
| Availability | 15 | 19.5% |
| Equipment | 6 | 7.8% |
| Indecency | 5 | 6.5% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 1.3% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.3% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Loud Commercials and Availability.
Radio complaints
56 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 50 | 89.3% |
| Indecency | 4 | 7.1% |
| Availability | 1 | 1.8% |
| Pirate Radio | 1 | 1.8% |
Interference and Indecency were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
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.