FCC Consumer Complaints – 12 August 2016
Introduction
On 12 August 2016, 1197 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 1309 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1197
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (414)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (133)
Where the complaints came from
On 12 August 2016, the 1197 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 783 cities across 51 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 | 133 | 11.1% |
| Florida | 105 | 8.8% |
| Texas | 96 | 8.0% |
| Maryland | 56 | 4.7% |
| New York | 50 | 4.2% |
| Virginia | 50 | 4.2% |
| Ohio | 46 | 3.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 45 | 3.8% |
| Georgia | 43 | 3.6% |
| Illinois | 38 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 535 | 44.7% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 7 complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 867 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 867 | 72.4% |
| Internet | 165 | 13.8% |
| TV | 120 | 10.0% |
| Radio | 32 | 2.7% |
| Accessibility | 7 | 0.6% |
| Emergency | 4 | 0.3% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
867 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 72.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 414 | 47.8% |
| Robocalls | 255 | 29.4% |
| Billing | 70 | 8.1% |
| Equipment | 34 | 3.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 29 | 3.3% |
| Privacy | 27 | 3.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 17 | 2.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 4 | 0.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.2% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 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
165 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 51 | 30.9% |
| Availability | 33 | 20.0% |
| Privacy | 25 | 15.2% |
| Speed | 22 | 13.3% |
| Interference | 14 | 8.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 12 | 7.3% |
| Equipment | 8 | 4.8% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Privacy.
TV complaints
120 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 57 | 47.5% |
| Availability | 30 | 25.0% |
| Indecency | 10 | 8.3% |
| Equipment | 9 | 7.5% |
| Interference | 7 | 5.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 3.3% |
| Privacy | 2 | 1.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.8% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Radio complaints
32 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 2.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 22 | 68.8% |
| Equipment | 4 | 12.5% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 3 | 9.4% |
| Availability | 2 | 6.3% |
| Indecency | 1 | 3.1% |
Interference and Equipment 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.