FCC Consumer Complaints – 27 May 2016
Introduction
On 27 May 2016, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 975 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented a decline from the 1213 complaints recorded the previous day. Reports were received from 49 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 975
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (344)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (122)
Where the complaints came from
On 27 May 2016, the 975 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 658 cities across 49 states and territories. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant 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 | 122 | 12.5% |
| Florida | 80 | 8.2% |
| Texas | 80 | 8.2% |
| New York | 46 | 4.7% |
| Illinois | 44 | 4.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 39 | 4.0% |
| Virginia | 38 | 3.9% |
| Georgia | 34 | 3.5% |
| Washington | 32 | 3.3% |
| Massachusetts | 30 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 429 | 44.0% |
Location highlight
Complaints in California were reported across 84 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 6 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 728 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 728 | 74.7% |
| Internet | 156 | 16.0% |
| TV | 64 | 6.6% |
| Radio | 22 | 2.3% |
| Emergency | 4 | 0.4% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
728 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 74.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 344 | 47.3% |
| Robocalls | 190 | 26.1% |
| Billing | 55 | 7.6% |
| Privacy | 30 | 4.1% |
| Equipment | 29 | 4.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 27 | 3.7% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 25 | 3.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 15 | 2.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 1.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 0.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.1% |
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
156 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 55 | 35.3% |
| Availability | 31 | 19.9% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 20 | 12.8% |
| Speed | 17 | 10.9% |
| Interference | 13 | 8.3% |
| Privacy | 12 | 7.7% |
| Equipment | 8 | 5.1% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Open Internet/Net Neutrality among the most common.
TV complaints
64 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 22 | 34.4% |
| Availability | 15 | 23.4% |
| Indecency | 8 | 12.5% |
| Interference | 7 | 10.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 9.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 4.7% |
| Equipment | 2 | 3.1% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.6% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Indecency among the most 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.