FCC Consumer Complaints – 8 May 2017
Introduction
On Monday, 8 May 2017, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1512 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 627 complaints recorded the previous day. Reports were received from 52 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints relating to Unwanted Calls were marginally higher than for other issue types.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1512
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (601)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (188)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 8 May 2017 show 1512 complaints originating from 997 cities across 52 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 188 | 12.4% |
| Florida | 132 | 8.7% |
| Texas | 99 | 6.5% |
| New York | 96 | 6.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 58 | 3.8% |
| Virginia | 57 | 3.8% |
| Ohio | 56 | 3.7% |
| Illinois | 54 | 3.6% |
| Maryland | 46 | 3.0% |
| Washington | 43 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 680 | 45.0% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 6 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 817 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 817 | 54.0% |
| TV | 466 | 30.8% |
| Internet | 199 | 13.2% |
| Radio | 24 | 1.6% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
817 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 54.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 601 | 73.6% |
| Billing | 102 | 12.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 33 | 4.0% |
| Privacy | 24 | 2.9% |
| Equipment | 22 | 2.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 0.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 7 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 4 | 0.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 0.5% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.1% |
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, Availability (including rural call completion) and Privacy.
TV complaints
466 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 30.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Indecency | 341 | 73.2% |
| Billing | 65 | 13.9% |
| Availability | 21 | 4.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 12 | 2.6% |
| Equipment | 10 | 2.1% |
| Interference | 9 | 1.9% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 6 | 1.3% |
| Privacy | 2 | 0.4% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Indecency and Billing, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
199 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 69 | 34.7% |
| Availability | 49 | 24.6% |
| Billing | 38 | 19.1% |
| Speed | 21 | 10.6% |
| Interference | 11 | 5.5% |
| Privacy | 7 | 3.5% |
| Equipment | 4 | 2.0% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Open Internet/Net Neutrality, Availability and Billing.
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.