FCC Consumer Complaints – 9 April 2016
Introduction
On 9 April 2016, 499 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume fell from 1032 complaints the day before. Complaints were reported across 42 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing), with 153 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 499
- States & territories reporting
- 42
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (153)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (88)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 9 April 2016 show 499 complaints originating from 377 cities across 42 states and territories. Complaint reports were spread across multiple states and territories, without any one location accounting for a large share. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
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 | 88 | 17.6% |
| Texas | 52 | 10.4% |
| Florida | 46 | 9.2% |
| Georgia | 27 | 5.4% |
| New York | 25 | 5.0% |
| New Jersey | 22 | 4.4% |
| Ohio | 21 | 4.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 20 | 4.0% |
| Maryland | 18 | 3.6% |
| Illinois | 14 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 166 | 33.3% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 5 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 291 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 291 | 58.3% |
| Internet | 108 | 21.6% |
| TV | 86 | 17.2% |
| Radio | 13 | 2.6% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
291 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 58.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 153 | 52.6% |
| Robocalls | 72 | 24.7% |
| Billing | 19 | 6.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 11 | 3.8% |
| Privacy | 9 | 3.1% |
| Equipment | 7 | 2.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 6 | 2.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 1.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 1.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 1.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 1 | 0.3% |
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
108 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 21.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 32 | 29.6% |
| Availability | 28 | 25.9% |
| Speed | 15 | 13.9% |
| Privacy | 12 | 11.1% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 10 | 9.3% |
| Interference | 7 | 6.5% |
| Equipment | 4 | 3.7% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
TV complaints
86 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 17.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 39 | 45.3% |
| Billing | 22 | 25.6% |
| Equipment | 11 | 12.8% |
| Indecency | 5 | 5.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 4.7% |
| Interference | 3 | 3.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 1.2% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.2% |
Availability and Billing 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.