FCC Consumer Complaints – 16 November 2016
Introduction
A total of 915 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday, 16 November 2016, complaint volume fell from 966 complaints the day before. Complaints were reported across 51 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Unwanted Calls recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 915
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (404)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (119)
Where the complaints came from
On 16 November 2016, the 915 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 650 cities across 51 states and territories. Complaint reports were spread across multiple states and territories, without any one location accounting for a large share. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
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 | 119 | 13.0% |
| Texas | 74 | 8.1% |
| New York | 57 | 6.2% |
| Florida | 53 | 5.8% |
| Maryland | 47 | 5.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 45 | 4.9% |
| Illinois | 38 | 4.2% |
| Georgia | 37 | 4.0% |
| New Jersey | 33 | 3.6% |
| Michigan | 27 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 384 | 42.0% |
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 622 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 622 | 68.0% |
| Internet | 142 | 15.5% |
| TV | 106 | 11.6% |
| Radio | 42 | 4.6% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
622 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 68.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 404 | 65.0% |
| Billing | 100 | 16.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 24 | 3.9% |
| Equipment | 24 | 3.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 21 | 3.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 17 | 2.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 14 | 2.3% |
| Privacy | 9 | 1.4% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 1.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.2% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.2% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.2% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
142 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 15.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 50 | 35.2% |
| Availability | 26 | 18.3% |
| Speed | 24 | 16.9% |
| Interference | 17 | 12.0% |
| Equipment | 12 | 8.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 10 | 7.0% |
| Privacy | 3 | 2.1% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
TV complaints
106 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 61 | 57.5% |
| Availability | 17 | 16.0% |
| Equipment | 13 | 12.3% |
| Indecency | 8 | 7.5% |
| Interference | 3 | 2.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 2 | 1.9% |
| Privacy | 2 | 1.9% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Radio complaints
42 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 4.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 26 | 61.9% |
| Pirate Radio | 7 | 16.7% |
| Indecency | 4 | 9.5% |
| Availability | 2 | 4.8% |
| Billing | 1 | 2.4% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 1 | 2.4% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2.4% |
Interference and Pirate Radio 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.