FCC Consumer Complaints – 29 July 2016
Introduction
A total of 1081 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Friday, 29 July 2016, this represented a decline from the 1201 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 49 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing), accounting for 385 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1081
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (385)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (140)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1081 complaints were recorded on 29 July 2016, with reports originating from 727 cities in 49 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 table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 140 | 13.0% |
| Florida | 76 | 7.0% |
| Texas | 69 | 6.4% |
| Maryland | 60 | 5.6% |
| New York | 60 | 5.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 48 | 4.4% |
| Georgia | 41 | 3.8% |
| Illinois | 41 | 3.8% |
| New Jersey | 34 | 3.1% |
| Ohio | 34 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 478 | 44.2% |
Location highlight
Complaints in California were reported across 105 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 5 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 780 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 780 | 72.2% |
| Internet | 161 | 14.9% |
| TV | 104 | 9.6% |
| Radio | 32 | 3.0% |
| Accessibility | 4 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
780 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 72.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 385 | 49.4% |
| Robocalls | 170 | 21.8% |
| Billing | 73 | 9.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 38 | 4.9% |
| Privacy | 33 | 4.2% |
| Equipment | 26 | 3.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 15 | 1.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 11 | 1.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 8 | 1.0% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 8 | 1.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 7 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.8% |
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
161 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 43 | 26.7% |
| Availability | 36 | 22.4% |
| Speed | 24 | 14.9% |
| Interference | 23 | 14.3% |
| Privacy | 15 | 9.3% |
| Equipment | 11 | 6.8% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 9 | 5.6% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
TV complaints
104 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 40 | 38.5% |
| Availability | 29 | 27.9% |
| Equipment | 13 | 12.5% |
| Indecency | 8 | 7.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 6.7% |
| Interference | 4 | 3.8% |
| Privacy | 3 | 2.9% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Radio complaints
32 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 3.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 22 | 68.8% |
| Pirate Radio | 4 | 12.5% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 2 | 6.3% |
| Indecency | 2 | 6.3% |
| Billing | 1 | 3.1% |
| Equipment | 1 | 3.1% |
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.