FCC Consumer Complaints – 14 February 2016
Introduction
A total of 285 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Sunday, 14 February 2016, this represented a decline from the 574 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 40 states and territories, with California accounting for the largest number of submissions at 52 complaints. Complaints relating to Billing were marginally higher than for other issue types.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 285
- States & territories reporting
- 40
- Most common issue
- Billing (60)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (52)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 285 complaints were recorded on 14 February 2016, with reports originating from 248 cities in 40 states and territories. Complaints were less evenly distributed than usual, with California accounting for the highest proportion of reports. No single city accounted for a significant proportion of the complaints recorded on this date.
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 | 52 | 18.2% |
| New York | 18 | 6.3% |
| Florida | 17 | 6.0% |
| Illinois | 17 | 6.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 5.6% |
| Texas | 16 | 5.6% |
| Georgia | 13 | 4.6% |
| Virginia | 12 | 4.2% |
| Tennessee | 10 | 3.5% |
| Maryland | 9 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 105 | 36.8% |
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 153 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 153 | 53.7% |
| Internet | 78 | 27.4% |
| TV | 50 | 17.5% |
| Radio | 3 | 1.1% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
153 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 53.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 59 | 38.6% |
| Robocalls | 34 | 22.2% |
| Billing | 24 | 15.7% |
| Privacy | 13 | 8.5% |
| Equipment | 8 | 5.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 4 | 2.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 3 | 2.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 2.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 1.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 1 | 0.7% |
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
78 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 27.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 23 | 29.5% |
| Speed | 21 | 26.9% |
| Availability | 12 | 15.4% |
| Privacy | 11 | 14.1% |
| Interference | 5 | 6.4% |
| Equipment | 3 | 3.8% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 3.8% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Speed and Availability.
TV complaints
50 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 17.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 13 | 26.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 11 | 22.0% |
| Indecency | 10 | 20.0% |
| Availability | 9 | 18.0% |
| Equipment | 3 | 6.0% |
| Interference | 2 | 4.0% |
| Privacy | 2 | 4.0% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Loud Commercials and Indecency.
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.