FCC Consumer Complaints – 21 October 2016
Introduction
A total of 894 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Friday, 21 October 2016, complaint volume fell from 1282 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 49 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 894
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) (241)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (113)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 21 October 2016 show 894 complaints originating from 600 cities across 49 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
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 | 113 | 12.6% |
| Florida | 73 | 8.2% |
| Texas | 60 | 6.7% |
| New York | 53 | 5.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 39 | 4.4% |
| Washington | 35 | 3.9% |
| Illinois | 34 | 3.8% |
| Virginia | 34 | 3.8% |
| New Jersey | 30 | 3.4% |
| Maryland | 29 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 389 | 43.5% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 7 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone was the most reported category, with 563 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 563 | 63.0% |
| Internet | 197 | 22.0% |
| TV | 107 | 12.0% |
| Radio | 21 | 2.3% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.3% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
563 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 63.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) | 241 | 42.8% |
| Billing | 105 | 18.7% |
| Robocalls | 80 | 14.2% |
| Junk Faxes | 31 | 5.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 30 | 5.3% |
| Equipment | 29 | 5.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 16 | 2.8% |
| Privacy | 12 | 2.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 1.2% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 7 | 1.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 0.7% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.2% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Telemarketing (including do not call and spoofing) and Billing, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
197 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 22.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 59 | 29.9% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 36 | 18.3% |
| Availability | 31 | 15.7% |
| Speed | 29 | 14.7% |
| Equipment | 15 | 7.6% |
| Interference | 14 | 7.1% |
| Privacy | 13 | 6.6% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Open Internet/Net Neutrality and Availability among the most common.
TV complaints
107 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 68 | 63.6% |
| Availability | 10 | 9.3% |
| Equipment | 10 | 9.3% |
| Indecency | 8 | 7.5% |
| Interference | 7 | 6.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 2 | 1.9% |
| Privacy | 2 | 1.9% |
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.