FCC Consumer Complaints – 13 September 2016
Introduction
On Tuesday, 13 September 2016, 1347 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was higher than the 1131 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
- 1347
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (379)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (193)
Where the complaints came from
The 1347 complaints recorded on 13 September 2016 originated from 879 cities across 51 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
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 | 193 | 14.3% |
| Texas | 111 | 8.2% |
| Florida | 94 | 7.0% |
| New York | 84 | 6.2% |
| Ohio | 56 | 4.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 56 | 4.2% |
| Maryland | 51 | 3.8% |
| Virginia | 50 | 3.7% |
| Georgia | 49 | 3.6% |
| Michigan | 44 | 3.3% |
| Other states and territories | 557 | 41.4% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 109 different cities.
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 962 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 962 | 71.4% |
| Internet | 203 | 15.1% |
| TV | 159 | 11.8% |
| Radio | 18 | 1.3% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.1% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
962 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 71.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 379 | 39.4% |
| Robocalls | 264 | 27.4% |
| Billing | 164 | 17.0% |
| Equipment | 37 | 3.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 33 | 3.4% |
| Privacy | 24 | 2.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 20 | 2.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 15 | 1.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 14 | 1.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 6 | 0.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.5% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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
203 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 15.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 65 | 32.0% |
| Availability | 51 | 25.1% |
| Speed | 30 | 14.8% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 18 | 8.9% |
| Interference | 14 | 6.9% |
| Privacy | 13 | 6.4% |
| Equipment | 12 | 5.9% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Speed among the most common.
TV complaints
159 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 80 | 50.3% |
| Availability | 39 | 24.5% |
| Equipment | 12 | 7.5% |
| Indecency | 10 | 6.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 5.0% |
| Interference | 7 | 4.4% |
| Privacy | 2 | 1.3% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.6% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing 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.