FCC Consumer Complaints – 14 March 2017
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 1036 consumer complaints on Tuesday, 14 March 2017 relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 1020 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 588 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1036
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (588)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (125)
Where the complaints came from
Across 729 cities in 51 states and territories, a total of 1036 complaints were recorded on 14 March 2017. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location 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 | 125 | 12.1% |
| Florida | 65 | 6.3% |
| Texas | 63 | 6.1% |
| New York | 53 | 5.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 45 | 4.3% |
| Ohio | 43 | 4.2% |
| New Jersey | 41 | 4.0% |
| Illinois | 40 | 3.9% |
| Michigan | 37 | 3.6% |
| Georgia | 35 | 3.4% |
| Other states and territories | 488 | 47.1% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 7 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 749 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 749 | 72.3% |
| Internet | 149 | 14.4% |
| TV | 116 | 11.2% |
| Radio | 19 | 1.8% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
749 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 72.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 588 | 78.5% |
| Billing | 69 | 9.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 24 | 3.2% |
| Equipment | 20 | 2.7% |
| Privacy | 13 | 1.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 12 | 1.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 10 | 1.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.1% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.1% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment among the most common.
Internet complaints
149 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 50 | 33.6% |
| Availability | 39 | 26.2% |
| Speed | 31 | 20.8% |
| Interference | 13 | 8.7% |
| Privacy | 7 | 4.7% |
| Equipment | 5 | 3.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 2.7% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Speed among the most common.
TV complaints
116 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 69 | 59.5% |
| Availability | 18 | 15.5% |
| Equipment | 12 | 10.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 9 | 7.8% |
| Indecency | 4 | 3.4% |
| Interference | 2 | 1.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.9% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.9% |
Billing 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.