FCC Consumer Complaints – 21 April 2016
Introduction
On 21 April 2016, 1125 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 1230 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing), accounting for 358 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1125
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (358)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (144)
Where the complaints came from
The 1125 complaints recorded on 21 April 2016 were submitted from 726 cities across 50 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in Maryland, where Frederick accounted for 47 of the 73 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 | 144 | 12.8% |
| Florida | 118 | 10.5% |
| Texas | 86 | 7.6% |
| Maryland | 73 | 6.5% |
| New York | 66 | 5.9% |
| Illinois | 41 | 3.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 40 | 3.6% |
| Georgia | 37 | 3.3% |
| Ohio | 36 | 3.2% |
| North Carolina | 32 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 452 | 40.2% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in Maryland originated from Frederick, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 5 complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 729 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 729 | 64.8% |
| Internet | 216 | 19.2% |
| TV | 118 | 10.5% |
| Radio | 60 | 5.3% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
729 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 64.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 358 | 49.1% |
| Robocalls | 164 | 22.5% |
| Billing | 62 | 8.5% |
| Equipment | 37 | 5.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 29 | 4.0% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 28 | 3.8% |
| Privacy | 26 | 3.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 11 | 1.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.7% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.3% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 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
216 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 69 | 31.9% |
| Billing | 52 | 24.1% |
| Speed | 28 | 13.0% |
| Interference | 24 | 11.1% |
| Privacy | 20 | 9.3% |
| Equipment | 17 | 7.9% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 6 | 2.8% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Availability, Billing and Speed.
TV complaints
118 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 53 | 44.9% |
| Availability | 27 | 22.9% |
| Equipment | 14 | 11.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 10 | 8.5% |
| Indecency | 8 | 6.8% |
| Interference | 5 | 4.2% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.8% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Radio complaints
60 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 5.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 57 | 95.0% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 1 | 1.7% |
| Indecency | 1 | 1.7% |
| Pirate Radio | 1 | 1.7% |
Interference and Commercials/Promotions 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.