FCC Consumer Complaints – 8 October 2015
Introduction
On Thursday, 8 October 2015, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1366 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 1328 complaints recorded the previous day. Complaints were reported across 50 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing), with 503 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1366
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (503)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (175)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 8 October 2015 show 1366 complaints originating from 854 cities across 50 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 175 | 12.8% |
| Texas | 109 | 8.0% |
| Florida | 106 | 7.8% |
| Maryland | 71 | 5.2% |
| New York | 68 | 5.0% |
| Georgia | 51 | 3.7% |
| Illinois | 51 | 3.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 49 | 3.6% |
| Virginia | 48 | 3.5% |
| Arizona | 47 | 3.4% |
| Other states and territories | 584 | 42.8% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 7 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 1011 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1011 | 74.0% |
| Internet | 168 | 12.3% |
| TV | 119 | 8.7% |
| Radio | 60 | 4.4% |
| Emergency | 5 | 0.4% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 2 | 0.1% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1011 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 74.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 503 | 49.8% |
| Robocalls | 218 | 21.6% |
| Billing | 113 | 11.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 47 | 4.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 31 | 3.1% |
| Privacy | 31 | 3.1% |
| Equipment | 30 | 3.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 23 | 2.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 0.4% |
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
168 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 58 | 34.5% |
| Availability | 34 | 20.2% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 22 | 13.1% |
| Speed | 15 | 8.9% |
| Interference | 14 | 8.3% |
| Privacy | 14 | 8.3% |
| Equipment | 11 | 6.5% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Open Internet/Net Neutrality.
TV complaints
119 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 54 | 45.4% |
| Indecency | 20 | 16.8% |
| Availability | 19 | 16.0% |
| Equipment | 11 | 9.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 11 | 9.2% |
| Interference | 3 | 2.5% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.8% |
Billing and Indecency were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Radio complaints
60 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 4.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 43 | 71.7% |
| Availability | 8 | 13.3% |
| Pirate Radio | 4 | 6.7% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 2 | 3.3% |
| Equipment | 2 | 3.3% |
| Indecency | 1 | 1.7% |
Interference and Availability 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.