FCC Consumer Complaints – 19 April 2016
Introduction
A total of 1319 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday, 19 April 2016, this was higher than the 1074 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1319
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (395)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (181)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 19 April 2016 show 1319 complaints originating from 812 cities across 50 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. 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 | 181 | 13.7% |
| Florida | 160 | 12.1% |
| Texas | 107 | 8.1% |
| Maryland | 65 | 4.9% |
| New York | 63 | 4.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 50 | 3.8% |
| Georgia | 41 | 3.1% |
| Illinois | 39 | 3.0% |
| North Carolina | 39 | 3.0% |
| New Jersey | 35 | 2.7% |
| Other states and territories | 533 | 40.4% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 6 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 919 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 919 | 69.7% |
| Internet | 197 | 14.9% |
| TV | 148 | 11.2% |
| Radio | 51 | 3.9% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
919 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 69.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 395 | 43.0% |
| Robocalls | 196 | 21.3% |
| Billing | 119 | 12.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 56 | 6.1% |
| Equipment | 38 | 4.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 35 | 3.8% |
| Junk Faxes | 33 | 3.6% |
| Privacy | 27 | 2.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 11 | 1.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 0.3% |
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
197 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 72 | 36.5% |
| Billing | 53 | 26.9% |
| Privacy | 20 | 10.2% |
| Speed | 20 | 10.2% |
| Equipment | 12 | 6.1% |
| Interference | 12 | 6.1% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 7 | 3.6% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
148 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 60 | 40.5% |
| Availability | 49 | 33.1% |
| Equipment | 20 | 13.5% |
| Interference | 6 | 4.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 3.4% |
| Indecency | 4 | 2.7% |
| Privacy | 3 | 2.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.7% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Radio complaints
51 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 3.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 41 | 80.4% |
| Billing | 3 | 5.9% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 3 | 5.9% |
| Indecency | 3 | 5.9% |
| Availability | 1 | 2.0% |
Interference and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
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.