FCC Consumer Complaints – 15 September 2015
Introduction
On Tuesday, 15 September 2015, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1238 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was higher than the 998 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 51 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. The most common issue reported was Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing), accounting for 472 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1238
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (472)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (126)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 15 September 2015 show 1238 complaints originating from 845 cities across 51 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. 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 | 126 | 10.2% |
| Florida | 108 | 8.7% |
| Texas | 95 | 7.7% |
| New York | 65 | 5.3% |
| Georgia | 56 | 4.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 54 | 4.4% |
| Illinois | 51 | 4.1% |
| New Jersey | 42 | 3.4% |
| Maryland | 40 | 3.2% |
| North Carolina | 40 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 561 | 45.3% |
Location highlight
Complaints in California were reported across 94 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 897 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 897 | 72.5% |
| Internet | 199 | 16.1% |
| TV | 119 | 9.6% |
| Radio | 19 | 1.5% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
897 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 72.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 472 | 52.6% |
| Robocalls | 213 | 23.7% |
| Billing | 79 | 8.8% |
| Privacy | 29 | 3.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 23 | 2.6% |
| Equipment | 22 | 2.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 21 | 2.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 15 | 1.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 13 | 1.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 7 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 0.2% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) and Robocalls accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
199 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 57 | 28.6% |
| Availability | 50 | 25.1% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 21 | 10.6% |
| Speed | 21 | 10.6% |
| Privacy | 19 | 9.5% |
| Interference | 18 | 9.0% |
| Equipment | 13 | 6.5% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Open Internet/Net Neutrality among the most common.
TV complaints
119 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 52 | 43.7% |
| Availability | 19 | 16.0% |
| Equipment | 15 | 12.6% |
| Interference | 9 | 7.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 9 | 7.6% |
| Indecency | 7 | 5.9% |
| Privacy | 7 | 5.9% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.8% |
Billing accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
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.