FCC Consumer Complaints – 15 August 2016
Introduction
On Monday, 15 August 2016, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 975 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 285 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 51 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints relating to Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) were marginally higher than for other issue types.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 975
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (312)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (106)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 15 August 2016 show 975 complaints originating from 657 cities across 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 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 | 106 | 10.9% |
| Florida | 86 | 8.8% |
| Texas | 72 | 7.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 54 | 5.5% |
| Georgia | 53 | 5.4% |
| New York | 53 | 5.4% |
| Virginia | 46 | 4.7% |
| Illinois | 40 | 4.1% |
| Colorado | 35 | 3.6% |
| Ohio | 33 | 3.4% |
| Other states and territories | 397 | 40.7% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 6 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 691 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 691 | 70.9% |
| Internet | 148 | 15.2% |
| TV | 108 | 11.1% |
| Radio | 20 | 2.1% |
| Accessibility | 6 | 0.6% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
691 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 70.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 312 | 45.2% |
| Robocalls | 193 | 27.9% |
| Billing | 66 | 9.6% |
| Equipment | 37 | 5.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 26 | 3.8% |
| Privacy | 21 | 3.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 15 | 2.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 1.3% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 1.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 0.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 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.
Internet complaints
148 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 15.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 45 | 30.4% |
| Availability | 36 | 24.3% |
| Speed | 23 | 15.5% |
| Privacy | 16 | 10.8% |
| Interference | 12 | 8.1% |
| Equipment | 9 | 6.1% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 7 | 4.7% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
TV complaints
108 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 41 | 38.0% |
| Availability | 19 | 17.6% |
| Indecency | 16 | 14.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 13 | 12.0% |
| Equipment | 10 | 9.3% |
| Interference | 6 | 5.6% |
| Privacy | 3 | 2.8% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Indecency.
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.