FCC Consumer Complaints – 9 January 2017
Introduction
A total of 859 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 9 January 2017, this represented an increase from the 303 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 50 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 859
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (351)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (96)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 9 January 2017 show 859 complaints originating from 596 cities across 50 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. 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 | 96 | 11.2% |
| Texas | 86 | 10.0% |
| Florida | 60 | 7.0% |
| New York | 50 | 5.8% |
| Maryland | 40 | 4.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 40 | 4.7% |
| Illinois | 36 | 4.2% |
| Georgia | 28 | 3.3% |
| Michigan | 27 | 3.1% |
| New Jersey | 26 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 368 | 42.8% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 579 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 579 | 67.4% |
| Internet | 122 | 14.2% |
| TV | 116 | 13.5% |
| Radio | 34 | 4.0% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.3% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.3% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
579 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 67.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 351 | 60.6% |
| Billing | 108 | 18.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 31 | 5.4% |
| Equipment | 23 | 4.0% |
| Privacy | 17 | 2.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 13 | 2.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 13 | 2.2% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 10 | 1.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 7 | 1.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 1.0% |
As is typical for this category, unwanted calls accounted for the largest share of complaints. A more detailed analysis of these reports is provided 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
122 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 48 | 39.3% |
| Availability | 27 | 22.1% |
| Speed | 15 | 12.3% |
| Equipment | 10 | 8.2% |
| Privacy | 9 | 7.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 8 | 6.6% |
| Interference | 5 | 4.1% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
116 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 56 | 48.3% |
| Availability | 30 | 25.9% |
| Equipment | 12 | 10.3% |
| Indecency | 7 | 6.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 5.2% |
| Interference | 4 | 3.4% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.9% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Radio complaints
34 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 4.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 23 | 67.6% |
| Availability | 6 | 17.6% |
| Pirate Radio | 3 | 8.8% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 1 | 2.9% |
| Indecency | 1 | 2.9% |
Interference and Availability 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.