FCC Consumer Complaints – 31 December 2016
Introduction
A total of 358 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Saturday, 31 December 2016, complaint volume fell from 810 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 44 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
- 358
- States & territories reporting
- 44
- Most common issue
- Billing (116)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (41)
Where the complaints came from
On 31 December 2016, the 358 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 292 cities across 44 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 41 | 11.5% |
| Florida | 30 | 8.4% |
| Texas | 23 | 6.4% |
| Iowa | 18 | 5.0% |
| Michigan | 14 | 3.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 14 | 3.9% |
| Washington | 13 | 3.6% |
| Illinois | 12 | 3.4% |
| Indiana | 12 | 3.4% |
| Georgia | 11 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 170 | 47.5% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 169 complaints. This was followed by Internet, which accounted for 94 complaints.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 169 | 47.2% |
| Internet | 94 | 26.3% |
| TV | 86 | 24.0% |
| Radio | 8 | 2.2% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
169 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 47.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 65 | 38.5% |
| Billing | 47 | 27.8% |
| Equipment | 21 | 12.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 12 | 7.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 4.7% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 5 | 3.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 2.4% |
| Privacy | 4 | 2.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 1.8% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
94 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 26.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 32 | 34.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 17 | 18.1% |
| Speed | 17 | 18.1% |
| Availability | 12 | 12.8% |
| Interference | 9 | 9.6% |
| Privacy | 5 | 5.3% |
| Equipment | 2 | 2.1% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Open Internet/Net Neutrality and Speed.
TV complaints
86 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 24.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 37 | 43.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 26 | 30.2% |
| Availability | 11 | 12.8% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.8% |
| Interference | 4 | 4.7% |
| Indecency | 1 | 1.2% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 1.2% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.2% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Loud Commercials, 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.