FCC Consumer Complaints – 15 September 2016
Introduction
On Thursday, 15 September 2016, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1388 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 1347 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Billing recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1388
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Billing (382)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (184)
Where the complaints came from
Across 900 cities in 51 states and territories, a total of 1388 complaints were recorded on 15 September 2016. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant share. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 184 | 13.3% |
| Florida | 111 | 8.0% |
| Texas | 102 | 7.3% |
| Ohio | 83 | 6.0% |
| New York | 69 | 5.0% |
| North Carolina | 52 | 3.7% |
| Illinois | 50 | 3.6% |
| Maryland | 49 | 3.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 49 | 3.5% |
| New Jersey | 45 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 593 | 42.7% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 1031 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1031 | 74.3% |
| Internet | 180 | 13.0% |
| TV | 147 | 10.6% |
| Radio | 25 | 1.8% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1031 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 74.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 378 | 36.7% |
| Robocalls | 260 | 25.2% |
| Billing | 234 | 22.7% |
| Equipment | 35 | 3.4% |
| Privacy | 32 | 3.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 22 | 2.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 22 | 2.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 19 | 1.8% |
| Junk Faxes | 16 | 1.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 7 | 0.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 0.4% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 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
180 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 70 | 38.9% |
| Availability | 34 | 18.9% |
| Speed | 26 | 14.4% |
| Privacy | 19 | 10.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 15 | 8.3% |
| Equipment | 8 | 4.4% |
| Interference | 8 | 4.4% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Speed among the most common.
TV complaints
147 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 78 | 53.1% |
| Availability | 32 | 21.8% |
| Equipment | 14 | 9.5% |
| Indecency | 9 | 6.1% |
| Interference | 8 | 5.4% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 3.4% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.7% |
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.