FCC Consumer Complaints – 23 September 2016
Introduction
On 23 September 2016, 1301 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume increased from 1237 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 54 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints relating to Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) were marginally higher than for other issue types.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1301
- States & territories reporting
- 54
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (410)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (171)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 23 September 2016 show 1301 complaints originating from 852 cities across 54 states and territories. Complaint reports were spread across multiple states and territories, without any one location accounting for a large share. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
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 | 171 | 13.1% |
| Florida | 89 | 6.8% |
| New York | 77 | 5.9% |
| Texas | 77 | 5.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 76 | 5.8% |
| Maryland | 55 | 4.2% |
| Ohio | 55 | 4.2% |
| Illinois | 54 | 4.2% |
| Georgia | 49 | 3.8% |
| Virginia | 44 | 3.4% |
| Other states and territories | 554 | 42.6% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 967 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 967 | 74.3% |
| Internet | 164 | 12.6% |
| TV | 127 | 9.8% |
| Radio | 37 | 2.8% |
| Emergency | 4 | 0.3% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
967 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 74.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 410 | 42.4% |
| Robocalls | 254 | 26.3% |
| Billing | 146 | 15.1% |
| Privacy | 38 | 3.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 35 | 3.6% |
| Equipment | 28 | 2.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 22 | 2.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 20 | 2.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 8 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 0.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.2% |
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
164 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 65 | 39.6% |
| Speed | 34 | 20.7% |
| Availability | 24 | 14.6% |
| Privacy | 17 | 10.4% |
| Equipment | 11 | 6.7% |
| Interference | 9 | 5.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 2.4% |
Billing and Speed were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
127 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 61 | 48.0% |
| Availability | 20 | 15.7% |
| Equipment | 15 | 11.8% |
| Interference | 12 | 9.4% |
| Indecency | 8 | 6.3% |
| Privacy | 6 | 4.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 3.9% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Radio complaints
37 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 2.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 26 | 70.3% |
| Indecency | 6 | 16.2% |
| Pirate Radio | 4 | 10.8% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 1 | 2.7% |
Interference and Indecency 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.