FCC Consumer Complaints – 26 October 2015
Introduction
A total of 1075 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Monday, 26 October 2015, this represented an increase from the 364 complaints recorded the previous day. Reports were received from 50 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) was the most frequently reported issue, with 368 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1075
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (368)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (113)
Where the complaints came from
Across 691 cities in 50 states and territories, a total of 1075 complaints were recorded on 26 October 2015. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in Maryland, where Frederick accounted for 40 of the 66 complaints recorded in the state.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 113 | 10.5% |
| Florida | 87 | 8.1% |
| Maryland | 66 | 6.1% |
| Texas | 66 | 6.1% |
| New York | 61 | 5.7% |
| Georgia | 55 | 5.1% |
| New Jersey | 50 | 4.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 41 | 3.8% |
| Virginia | 36 | 3.3% |
| Washington | 36 | 3.3% |
| Other states and territories | 464 | 43.2% |
Location highlight
Frederick accounted for the majority of complaints recorded in Maryland.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 734 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 734 | 68.3% |
| Internet | 206 | 19.2% |
| TV | 80 | 7.4% |
| Radio | 52 | 4.8% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
734 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 68.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 368 | 50.1% |
| Robocalls | 183 | 24.9% |
| Billing | 67 | 9.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 34 | 4.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 22 | 3.0% |
| Privacy | 20 | 2.7% |
| Equipment | 18 | 2.5% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 1.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 6 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.3% |
| 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
206 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 68 | 33.0% |
| Speed | 35 | 17.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 34 | 16.5% |
| Availability | 24 | 11.7% |
| Privacy | 21 | 10.2% |
| Interference | 15 | 7.3% |
| Equipment | 9 | 4.4% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Speed and Open Internet/Net Neutrality among the most common.
TV complaints
80 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 37 | 46.3% |
| Availability | 13 | 16.3% |
| Equipment | 12 | 15.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 8.8% |
| Indecency | 5 | 6.3% |
| Interference | 3 | 3.8% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 1.3% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Radio complaints
52 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 4.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 45 | 86.5% |
| Indecency | 4 | 7.7% |
| Pirate Radio | 2 | 3.8% |
| Billing | 1 | 1.9% |
Interference and Indecency accounted for the majority 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.