FCC Consumer Complaints – 24 September 2016
Introduction
A total of 487 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Saturday, 24 September 2016, complaint volume fell from 1301 complaints the previous day. Submissions were made from 48 states and territories, with California accounting for the highest number of complaints at 94. Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 487
- States & territories reporting
- 48
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (134)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (94)
Where the complaints came from
The 487 complaints recorded on 24 September 2016 originated from 371 cities across 48 states and territories. Complaints were less evenly distributed than usual, with California accounting for the highest proportion of reports. Complaints at the city level were distributed across multiple locations, with no single city accounting for a notable share.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 94 | 19.3% |
| Florida | 32 | 6.6% |
| Texas | 31 | 6.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 27 | 5.5% |
| Virginia | 23 | 4.7% |
| Ohio | 21 | 4.3% |
| Georgia | 20 | 4.1% |
| New York | 15 | 3.1% |
| Arizona | 14 | 2.9% |
| Massachusetts | 13 | 2.7% |
| Other states and territories | 197 | 40.5% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 58 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 321 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 321 | 65.9% |
| Internet | 91 | 18.7% |
| TV | 63 | 12.9% |
| Radio | 10 | 2.1% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
321 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 65.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 134 | 41.7% |
| Robocalls | 76 | 23.7% |
| Billing | 63 | 19.6% |
| Equipment | 17 | 5.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 7 | 2.2% |
| Privacy | 6 | 1.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 5 | 1.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 1.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 3 | 0.9% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 0.9% |
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
91 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 18.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 27 | 29.7% |
| Speed | 27 | 29.7% |
| Availability | 16 | 17.6% |
| Interference | 7 | 7.7% |
| Privacy | 6 | 6.6% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 3.3% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Speed and Availability.
TV complaints
63 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 26 | 41.3% |
| Indecency | 14 | 22.2% |
| Equipment | 9 | 14.3% |
| Availability | 8 | 12.7% |
| Interference | 3 | 4.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 3 | 4.8% |
Billing and Indecency 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.