FCC Consumer Complaints – 16 October 2015
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 1275 consumer complaints on Friday, 16 October 2015 relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 1426 complaints recorded the day before. Complaints were reported across 53 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing), accounting for 463 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1275
- States & territories reporting
- 53
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (463)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (169)
Where the complaints came from
On 16 October 2015, the 1275 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 833 cities across 53 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 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 | 169 | 13.3% |
| Florida | 122 | 9.6% |
| Texas | 74 | 5.8% |
| Georgia | 66 | 5.2% |
| New York | 58 | 4.5% |
| Virginia | 51 | 4.0% |
| Illinois | 48 | 3.8% |
| Maryland | 48 | 3.8% |
| New Jersey | 45 | 3.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 41 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 553 | 43.4% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 6 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 855 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 855 | 67.1% |
| Internet | 222 | 17.4% |
| TV | 153 | 12.0% |
| Radio | 38 | 3.0% |
| Emergency | 5 | 0.4% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
855 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 67.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 463 | 54.2% |
| Robocalls | 199 | 23.3% |
| Billing | 78 | 9.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 26 | 3.0% |
| Equipment | 22 | 2.6% |
| Privacy | 21 | 2.5% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 17 | 2.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 12 | 1.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 7 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 5 | 0.6% |
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
222 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 17.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 78 | 35.1% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 49 | 22.1% |
| Availability | 39 | 17.6% |
| Privacy | 22 | 9.9% |
| Speed | 21 | 9.5% |
| Interference | 10 | 4.5% |
| Equipment | 3 | 1.4% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Open Internet/Net Neutrality and Availability among the most common.
TV complaints
153 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 47 | 30.7% |
| Availability | 26 | 17.0% |
| Interference | 24 | 15.7% |
| Indecency | 21 | 13.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 13 | 8.5% |
| Equipment | 11 | 7.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 9 | 5.9% |
| Privacy | 2 | 1.3% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Interference among the most common.
Radio complaints
38 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 3.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 25 | 65.8% |
| Indecency | 8 | 21.1% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 2 | 5.3% |
| Pirate Radio | 2 | 5.3% |
| Availability | 1 | 2.6% |
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.