FCC Consumer Complaints – 3 March 2016
Introduction
A total of 1100 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday, 3 March 2016, complaint volume fell from 1127 complaints the previous day. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than 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
- 1100
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (410)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (150)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1100 complaints were recorded on 3 March 2016, with reports originating from 713 cities in 51 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in Iowa, where Iowa City accounted for 28 of the 32 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 | 150 | 13.6% |
| Texas | 85 | 7.7% |
| Florida | 72 | 6.5% |
| New York | 50 | 4.5% |
| Virginia | 45 | 4.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 43 | 3.9% |
| Georgia | 38 | 3.5% |
| Illinois | 38 | 3.5% |
| North Carolina | 38 | 3.5% |
| Maryland | 34 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 504 | 45.8% |
Location highlights
- Complaints in Iowa were heavily concentrated in Iowa City, which accounted for the majority of reports within the state.
- Complaints in California were reported across 88 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 accounted for the largest share, with 868 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 868 | 78.9% |
| Internet | 123 | 11.2% |
| TV | 83 | 7.5% |
| Radio | 24 | 2.2% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
868 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 78.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 410 | 47.2% |
| Robocalls | 249 | 28.7% |
| Billing | 77 | 8.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 39 | 4.5% |
| Privacy | 24 | 2.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 21 | 2.4% |
| Equipment | 19 | 2.2% |
| Junk Faxes | 12 | 1.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 0.5% |
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
123 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 48 | 39.0% |
| Availability | 27 | 22.0% |
| Privacy | 14 | 11.4% |
| Speed | 14 | 11.4% |
| Interference | 8 | 6.5% |
| Equipment | 6 | 4.9% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 6 | 4.9% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
TV complaints
83 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 43 | 51.8% |
| Availability | 12 | 14.5% |
| Indecency | 11 | 13.3% |
| Equipment | 8 | 9.6% |
| Interference | 4 | 4.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 3 | 3.6% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.2% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, 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.