FCC Consumer Complaints – 27 November 2016
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 333 consumer complaints on Sunday, 27 November 2016 relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 392 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 41 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Billing was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 333
- States & territories reporting
- 41
- Most common issue
- Billing (94)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (53)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 27 November 2016 show 333 complaints originating from 249 cities across 41 states and territories. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant 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 | 53 | 15.9% |
| Maryland | 29 | 8.7% |
| Florida | 25 | 7.5% |
| New York | 17 | 5.1% |
| Washington | 16 | 4.8% |
| Colorado | 14 | 4.2% |
| Texas | 14 | 4.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 13 | 3.9% |
| Ohio | 12 | 3.6% |
| Arizona | 11 | 3.3% |
| Other states and territories | 129 | 38.7% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 6 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 143 reports. This was followed by Internet, which accounted for 98 complaints.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 143 | 42.9% |
| Internet | 98 | 29.4% |
| TV | 59 | 17.7% |
| Radio | 29 | 8.7% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.6% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.6% |
Phone complaints
143 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 42.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 66 | 46.2% |
| Billing | 29 | 20.3% |
| Equipment | 18 | 12.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 12 | 8.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 4.2% |
| Privacy | 5 | 3.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 4 | 2.8% |
| Rural Call Completion | 2 | 1.4% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.7% |
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, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
98 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 29.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 37 | 37.8% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 28 | 28.6% |
| Speed | 14 | 14.3% |
| Interference | 8 | 8.2% |
| Availability | 6 | 6.1% |
| Privacy | 3 | 3.1% |
| Equipment | 2 | 2.0% |
Billing and Open Internet/Net Neutrality were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
59 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 17.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 27 | 45.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 12 | 20.3% |
| Availability | 9 | 15.3% |
| Indecency | 7 | 11.9% |
| Equipment | 4 | 6.8% |
Billing and Loud Commercials 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.