FCC Consumer Complaints – 19 September 2015
Introduction
On 19 September 2015, 495 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume fell from 1183 complaints the previous day. The complaints came from 47 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints relating to Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) were marginally higher than for other issue types.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 495
- States & territories reporting
- 47
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (155)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (61)
Where the complaints came from
Across 369 cities in 47 states and territories, a total of 495 complaints were recorded on 19 September 2015. Complaint reports were spread across multiple states and territories, without any one location accounting for a large 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 | 61 | 12.3% |
| Florida | 36 | 7.3% |
| Texas | 36 | 7.3% |
| Maryland | 32 | 6.5% |
| Georgia | 31 | 6.3% |
| New York | 22 | 4.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 22 | 4.4% |
| Tennessee | 19 | 3.8% |
| New Jersey | 17 | 3.4% |
| Colorado | 16 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 203 | 41.0% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 40 different cities.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 5 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 305 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 305 | 61.6% |
| Internet | 95 | 19.2% |
| TV | 68 | 13.7% |
| Radio | 23 | 4.6% |
| Emergency | 4 | 0.8% |
Phone complaints
305 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 61.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 155 | 50.8% |
| Robocalls | 69 | 22.6% |
| Billing | 24 | 7.9% |
| Equipment | 15 | 4.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 3.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 9 | 3.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 9 | 3.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 2.0% |
| Privacy | 4 | 1.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 2 | 0.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.7% |
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
95 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 25 | 26.3% |
| Speed | 20 | 21.1% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 16 | 16.8% |
| Availability | 13 | 13.7% |
| Privacy | 10 | 10.5% |
| Interference | 8 | 8.4% |
| Equipment | 3 | 3.2% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Speed and Open Internet/Net Neutrality.
TV complaints
68 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 30 | 44.1% |
| Availability | 10 | 14.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 9 | 13.2% |
| Equipment | 8 | 11.8% |
| Interference | 4 | 5.9% |
| Indecency | 3 | 4.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 2.9% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.9% |
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.