FCC Consumer Complaints – 31 May 2016
Introduction
On Tuesday, 31 May 2016, 1108 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was higher than the 352 complaints recorded the day before. Complaints were reported across 51 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. The most common issue reported was Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing), accounting for 362 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1108
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (362)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (152)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 31 May 2016 show 1108 complaints originating from 732 cities across 51 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
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 | 152 | 13.7% |
| Texas | 80 | 7.2% |
| New York | 76 | 6.9% |
| Florida | 71 | 6.4% |
| Maryland | 60 | 5.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 52 | 4.7% |
| Illinois | 46 | 4.2% |
| Georgia | 43 | 3.9% |
| Arizona | 38 | 3.4% |
| Michigan | 34 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 455 | 41.1% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 102 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 726 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 726 | 65.5% |
| TV | 215 | 19.4% |
| Internet | 142 | 12.8% |
| Radio | 23 | 2.1% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
726 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 65.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 362 | 49.9% |
| Robocalls | 169 | 23.3% |
| Billing | 70 | 9.6% |
| Privacy | 26 | 3.6% |
| Equipment | 23 | 3.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 22 | 3.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 21 | 2.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 16 | 2.2% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 11 | 1.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 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.
TV complaints
215 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 59 | 27.4% |
| Billing | 53 | 24.7% |
| Indecency | 42 | 19.5% |
| Availability | 26 | 12.1% |
| Equipment | 16 | 7.4% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 3.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 7 | 3.3% |
| Privacy | 4 | 1.9% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Interference, Billing and Indecency.
Internet complaints
142 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 38 | 26.8% |
| Availability | 35 | 24.6% |
| Speed | 21 | 14.8% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 16 | 11.3% |
| Privacy | 13 | 9.2% |
| Equipment | 12 | 8.5% |
| Interference | 7 | 4.9% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
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.