FCC Consumer Complaints – 5 November 2015
Introduction
On Thursday, 5 November 2015, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1728 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 2071 complaints the day before. Complaints were reported across 52 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of 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
- 1728
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (504)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (179)
Where the complaints came from
The 1728 complaints recorded on 5 November 2015 originated from 1015 cities across 52 states and territories. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant share. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in New Mexico, where Albuquerque accounted for 29 of the 34 complaints recorded in the state.
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 | 179 | 10.4% |
| Florida | 170 | 9.8% |
| Texas | 85 | 4.9% |
| Tennessee | 81 | 4.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 80 | 4.6% |
| Georgia | 76 | 4.4% |
| Illinois | 73 | 4.2% |
| New York | 70 | 4.1% |
| Colorado | 58 | 3.4% |
| Washington | 56 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 800 | 46.3% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in New Mexico originated from Albuquerque, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 5 complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 900 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 900 | 52.1% |
| Internet | 685 | 39.6% |
| TV | 106 | 6.1% |
| Radio | 32 | 1.9% |
| Emergency | 5 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
900 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 52.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 504 | 56.0% |
| Robocalls | 209 | 23.2% |
| Billing | 61 | 6.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 36 | 4.0% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 23 | 2.6% |
| Equipment | 18 | 2.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 18 | 2.0% |
| Privacy | 16 | 1.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 0.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 0.3% |
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
685 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 39.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 238 | 34.7% |
| Billing | 237 | 34.6% |
| Availability | 102 | 14.9% |
| Speed | 51 | 7.4% |
| Interference | 30 | 4.4% |
| Privacy | 15 | 2.2% |
| Equipment | 12 | 1.8% |
Open Internet/Net Neutrality and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
106 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 45 | 42.5% |
| Availability | 18 | 17.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 14 | 13.2% |
| Equipment | 11 | 10.4% |
| Indecency | 9 | 8.5% |
| Interference | 6 | 5.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 1.9% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.9% |
Billing was the most commonly reported issue in this category, while other issues occurred less frequently.
Radio complaints
32 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 1.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 23 | 71.9% |
| Availability | 4 | 12.5% |
| Pirate Radio | 3 | 9.4% |
| Billing | 1 | 3.1% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 1 | 3.1% |
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.