FCC Consumer Complaints – 10 May 2016
Introduction
On Tuesday, 10 May 2016, 1524 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 2262 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints relating to Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) were marginally higher than for other issue types.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1524
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (401)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (206)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 10 May 2016 show 1524 complaints originating from 926 cities across 50 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 206 | 13.5% |
| Florida | 161 | 10.6% |
| Texas | 108 | 7.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 70 | 4.6% |
| New York | 68 | 4.5% |
| Georgia | 55 | 3.6% |
| Maryland | 54 | 3.5% |
| Illinois | 50 | 3.3% |
| Ohio | 47 | 3.1% |
| Virginia | 42 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 660 | 43.3% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 7 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone was the most reported category, with 996 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 996 | 65.4% |
| Internet | 355 | 23.3% |
| TV | 140 | 9.2% |
| Radio | 25 | 1.6% |
| Emergency | 5 | 0.3% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
996 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 65.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 401 | 40.3% |
| Robocalls | 229 | 23.0% |
| Billing | 111 | 11.1% |
| Equipment | 56 | 5.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 56 | 5.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 55 | 5.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 37 | 3.7% |
| Privacy | 29 | 2.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 11 | 1.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 0.6% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 3 | 0.3% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.2% |
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
355 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 23.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 173 | 48.7% |
| Billing | 63 | 17.7% |
| Availability | 56 | 15.8% |
| Speed | 27 | 7.6% |
| Privacy | 16 | 4.5% |
| Equipment | 12 | 3.4% |
| Interference | 8 | 2.3% |
Open Internet/Net Neutrality and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
140 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 61 | 43.6% |
| Availability | 29 | 20.7% |
| Equipment | 21 | 15.0% |
| Indecency | 10 | 7.1% |
| Interference | 9 | 6.4% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 4.3% |
| Privacy | 4 | 2.9% |
Billing and Availability 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.