FCC Consumer Complaints – 2 April 2017
Introduction
On Sunday, 2 April 2017, 320 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 428 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 42 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 140 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 320
- States & territories reporting
- 42
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (140)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (41)
Where the complaints came from
On 2 April 2017, the 320 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 254 cities across 42 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
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 | 41 | 12.8% |
| Florida | 28 | 8.8% |
| New York | 25 | 7.8% |
| Texas | 21 | 6.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 19 | 5.9% |
| Illinois | 14 | 4.4% |
| Virginia | 13 | 4.1% |
| Maryland | 12 | 3.8% |
| Wisconsin | 10 | 3.1% |
| New Jersey | 9 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 128 | 40.0% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 5 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 202 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 202 | 63.1% |
| TV | 55 | 17.2% |
| Internet | 52 | 16.3% |
| Radio | 10 | 3.1% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
202 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 63.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 140 | 69.3% |
| Billing | 25 | 12.4% |
| Equipment | 15 | 7.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 3.0% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 6 | 3.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 4 | 2.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 1.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 1 | 0.5% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.5% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.5% |
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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill).
TV complaints
55 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 17.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 23 | 41.8% |
| Availability | 15 | 27.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 12.7% |
| Indecency | 6 | 10.9% |
| Equipment | 2 | 3.6% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.8% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.8% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
52 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 16 | 30.8% |
| Billing | 11 | 21.2% |
| Speed | 8 | 15.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 6 | 11.5% |
| Interference | 5 | 9.6% |
| Equipment | 4 | 7.7% |
| Privacy | 2 | 3.8% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Availability, Billing and Speed.
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.