FCC Consumer Complaints – 21 February 2016
Introduction
On 21 February 2016, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 309 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 580 complaints the previous day. Reports were received from 43 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints relating to Billing were marginally higher than for other issue types.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 309
- States & territories reporting
- 43
- Most common issue
- Billing (66)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (44)
Where the complaints came from
Across 257 cities in 43 states and territories, a total of 309 complaints were recorded on 21 February 2016. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 44 | 14.2% |
| Florida | 25 | 8.1% |
| New York | 21 | 6.8% |
| Ohio | 18 | 5.8% |
| Texas | 18 | 5.8% |
| Georgia | 15 | 4.9% |
| Virginia | 15 | 4.9% |
| Tennessee | 13 | 4.2% |
| Arizona | 11 | 3.6% |
| North Carolina | 11 | 3.6% |
| Other states and territories | 118 | 38.2% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 37 different cities.
What the complaints were about
A total of 4 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 160 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 160 | 51.8% |
| Internet | 84 | 27.2% |
| TV | 57 | 18.4% |
| Radio | 8 | 2.6% |
Phone complaints
160 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 51.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 55 | 34.4% |
| Robocalls | 45 | 28.1% |
| Billing | 23 | 14.4% |
| Equipment | 15 | 9.4% |
| Privacy | 8 | 5.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 2.5% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 1.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 3 | 1.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 2 | 1.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 2 | 1.3% |
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
84 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 27.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 32 | 38.1% |
| Speed | 15 | 17.9% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 14 | 16.7% |
| Availability | 9 | 10.7% |
| Privacy | 8 | 9.5% |
| Interference | 4 | 4.8% |
| Equipment | 2 | 2.4% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Speed and Open Internet/Net Neutrality among the most common.
TV complaints
57 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 18.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 15 | 26.3% |
| Billing | 11 | 19.3% |
| Indecency | 11 | 19.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 14.0% |
| Equipment | 5 | 8.8% |
| Interference | 4 | 7.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 3.5% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.8% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Availability, Billing and Indecency among the most 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.