FCC Consumer Complaints – 19 December 2015
Introduction
On 19 December 2015, 480 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume fell from 961 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 47 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 480
- States & territories reporting
- 47
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (161)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (70)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 19 December 2015 show 480 complaints originating from 374 cities across 47 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
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 | 70 | 14.6% |
| Florida | 37 | 7.7% |
| Washington | 26 | 5.4% |
| Tennessee | 25 | 5.2% |
| Texas | 24 | 5.0% |
| Illinois | 20 | 4.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 20 | 4.2% |
| Georgia | 18 | 3.8% |
| New York | 16 | 3.3% |
| Oregon | 16 | 3.3% |
| Other states and territories | 207 | 43.1% |
Location highlight
Complaints in California were reported across 49 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 5 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 318 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 318 | 66.3% |
| Internet | 104 | 21.7% |
| TV | 50 | 10.4% |
| Radio | 6 | 1.3% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
318 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 66.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 161 | 50.6% |
| Robocalls | 77 | 24.2% |
| Billing | 31 | 9.7% |
| Equipment | 10 | 3.1% |
| Privacy | 10 | 3.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 2.8% |
| Junk Faxes | 7 | 2.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 6 | 1.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 0.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.3% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) and Robocalls, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
104 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 21.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 35 | 33.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 19 | 18.3% |
| Speed | 18 | 17.3% |
| Availability | 14 | 13.5% |
| Privacy | 13 | 12.5% |
| Interference | 3 | 2.9% |
| Equipment | 2 | 1.9% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Open Internet/Net Neutrality and Speed.
TV complaints
50 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 22 | 44.0% |
| Equipment | 9 | 18.0% |
| Indecency | 6 | 12.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 12.0% |
| Availability | 5 | 10.0% |
| Privacy | 2 | 4.0% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Equipment, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
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.