FCC Consumer Complaints – 4 April 2016
Introduction
On Monday, 4 April 2016, 1000 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was higher than the 284 complaints recorded the previous day. Reports were received from 52 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints relating to Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) were marginally higher than for other issue types.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1000
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (315)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (133)
Where the complaints came from
Across 678 cities in 52 states and territories, a total of 1000 complaints were recorded on 4 April 2016. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
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 | 133 | 13.3% |
| Florida | 91 | 9.1% |
| Texas | 81 | 8.1% |
| New York | 64 | 6.4% |
| Georgia | 36 | 3.6% |
| North Carolina | 32 | 3.2% |
| Ohio | 32 | 3.2% |
| Illinois | 31 | 3.1% |
| Michigan | 31 | 3.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 31 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 437 | 43.7% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 95 different cities.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 702 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 702 | 70.2% |
| Internet | 165 | 16.5% |
| TV | 111 | 11.1% |
| Radio | 14 | 1.4% |
| Accessibility | 5 | 0.5% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
702 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 70.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 315 | 44.9% |
| Robocalls | 163 | 23.2% |
| Billing | 81 | 11.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 32 | 4.6% |
| Equipment | 24 | 3.4% |
| Privacy | 24 | 3.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 22 | 3.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 19 | 2.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 12 | 1.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 8 | 1.1% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.1% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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
165 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 53 | 32.1% |
| Availability | 43 | 26.1% |
| Speed | 18 | 10.9% |
| Equipment | 16 | 9.7% |
| Interference | 13 | 7.9% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 12 | 7.3% |
| Privacy | 10 | 6.1% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Speed among the most common.
TV complaints
111 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 50 | 45.0% |
| Availability | 30 | 27.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 13 | 11.7% |
| Indecency | 8 | 7.2% |
| Equipment | 7 | 6.3% |
| Interference | 3 | 2.7% |
Billing 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.