FCC Consumer Complaints – 31 October 2015
Introduction
On Saturday, 31 October 2015, 643 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume fell from 1128 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 48 states and territories, with Florida reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 643
- States & territories reporting
- 48
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (156)
- Most reported state/territory
- Florida (90)
Where the complaints came from
The 643 complaints recorded on 31 October 2015 were submitted from 451 cities across 48 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. At the city level, a significant concentration was observed in Maryland, where Frederick accounted for 31 of the 38 complaints recorded.
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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 90 | 14.0% |
| California | 83 | 12.9% |
| Georgia | 47 | 7.3% |
| Texas | 44 | 6.8% |
| Maryland | 38 | 5.9% |
| Tennessee | 30 | 4.7% |
| Virginia | 24 | 3.7% |
| Illinois | 22 | 3.4% |
| Michigan | 18 | 2.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 228 | 35.5% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in Maryland originated from Frederick, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 293 complaints. This was followed by Internet, which accounted for 261 complaints.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 293 | 45.6% |
| Internet | 261 | 40.6% |
| TV | 46 | 7.2% |
| Radio | 41 | 6.4% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
293 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 45.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 156 | 53.2% |
| Robocalls | 73 | 24.9% |
| Billing | 18 | 6.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 13 | 4.4% |
| Privacy | 7 | 2.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 6 | 2.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 2.0% |
| Equipment | 6 | 2.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 3 | 1.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 0.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.3% |
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
261 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 40.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 81 | 31.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 75 | 28.7% |
| Availability | 44 | 16.9% |
| Speed | 25 | 9.6% |
| Interference | 21 | 8.0% |
| Privacy | 13 | 5.0% |
| Equipment | 2 | 0.8% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Open Internet/Net Neutrality and Availability among the most common.
TV complaints
46 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 13 | 28.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 10 | 21.7% |
| Indecency | 8 | 17.4% |
| Availability | 6 | 13.0% |
| Equipment | 5 | 10.9% |
| Interference | 2 | 4.3% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 4.3% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Loud Commercials and Indecency among the most common.
Radio complaints
41 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 36 | 87.8% |
| Indecency | 2 | 4.9% |
| Availability | 1 | 2.4% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2.4% |
| Pirate Radio | 1 | 2.4% |
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.