FCC Consumer Complaints – 28 April 2016
Introduction
On Thursday, 28 April 2016, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1314 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume increased from 1233 complaints the day before. Reports were received from 50 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
- 1314
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (403)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (205)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1314 complaints were recorded on 28 April 2016, with reports originating from 813 cities in 50 states and territories. Complaint reports were spread across multiple states and territories, without any one location accounting for a large 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 | 205 | 15.6% |
| Florida | 133 | 10.1% |
| Texas | 123 | 9.4% |
| Maryland | 72 | 5.5% |
| New York | 66 | 5.0% |
| Georgia | 54 | 4.1% |
| Virginia | 52 | 4.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 43 | 3.3% |
| Michigan | 42 | 3.2% |
| New Jersey | 40 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 483 | 36.8% |
Location highlight
Complaints in California were reported across 123 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 903 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 903 | 68.7% |
| Internet | 226 | 17.2% |
| TV | 129 | 9.8% |
| Radio | 47 | 3.6% |
| Emergency | 6 | 0.5% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
903 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 68.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 403 | 44.6% |
| Robocalls | 205 | 22.7% |
| Billing | 93 | 10.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 50 | 5.5% |
| Equipment | 39 | 4.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 35 | 3.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 34 | 3.8% |
| Privacy | 28 | 3.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 10 | 1.1% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 0.4% |
| 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
226 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 17.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 57 | 25.2% |
| Billing | 57 | 25.2% |
| Speed | 45 | 19.9% |
| Equipment | 23 | 10.2% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 22 | 9.7% |
| Interference | 14 | 6.2% |
| Privacy | 8 | 3.5% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Availability, Billing and Speed.
TV complaints
129 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 58 | 45.0% |
| Availability | 37 | 28.7% |
| Equipment | 11 | 8.5% |
| Indecency | 10 | 7.8% |
| Interference | 5 | 3.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 3.9% |
| Privacy | 2 | 1.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.8% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Radio complaints
47 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 3.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 43 | 91.5% |
| Pirate Radio | 4 | 8.5% |
Interference and Pirate Radio 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.