FCC Consumer Complaints – 19 July 2016
Introduction
On Tuesday, 19 July 2016, 1204 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume increased from 974 complaints the previous day. Complaints were reported across 51 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1204
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (395)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (154)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1204 complaints were recorded on 19 July 2016, with reports originating from 764 cities in 51 states and territories. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant share. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 154 | 12.8% |
| Texas | 99 | 8.2% |
| Florida | 88 | 7.3% |
| Maryland | 69 | 5.7% |
| New York | 65 | 5.4% |
| Virginia | 44 | 3.7% |
| Georgia | 39 | 3.2% |
| Arizona | 38 | 3.2% |
| Illinois | 37 | 3.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 37 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 529 | 43.9% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 855 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 855 | 71.0% |
| Internet | 202 | 16.8% |
| TV | 103 | 8.6% |
| Radio | 37 | 3.1% |
| Emergency | 6 | 0.5% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
855 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 71.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 395 | 46.2% |
| Robocalls | 223 | 26.1% |
| Billing | 79 | 9.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 37 | 4.3% |
| Equipment | 32 | 3.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 30 | 3.5% |
| Privacy | 28 | 3.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 15 | 1.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 9 | 1.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.2% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) and Robocalls, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
202 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 61 | 30.2% |
| Availability | 51 | 25.2% |
| Speed | 27 | 13.4% |
| Equipment | 17 | 8.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 17 | 8.4% |
| Interference | 16 | 7.9% |
| Privacy | 13 | 6.4% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
TV complaints
103 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 57 | 55.3% |
| Availability | 25 | 24.3% |
| Equipment | 6 | 5.8% |
| Indecency | 5 | 4.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 4.9% |
| Interference | 4 | 3.9% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.0% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Radio complaints
37 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 3.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 24 | 64.9% |
| Availability | 6 | 16.2% |
| Indecency | 4 | 10.8% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 1 | 2.7% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2.7% |
| Pirate Radio | 1 | 2.7% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Interference and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
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.