FCC Consumer Complaints – 9 May 2017
Introduction
A total of 1313 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 9 May 2017, complaint volume fell from 1512 complaints the day before. Reports were received from 51 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 722 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1313
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (722)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (174)
Where the complaints came from
Across 839 cities in 51 states and territories, a total of 1313 complaints were recorded on 9 May 2017. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. 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 | 174 | 13.3% |
| Florida | 104 | 7.9% |
| Texas | 102 | 7.8% |
| New York | 75 | 5.7% |
| Illinois | 56 | 4.3% |
| Georgia | 54 | 4.1% |
| Michigan | 51 | 3.9% |
| North Carolina | 43 | 3.3% |
| Colorado | 42 | 3.2% |
| Virginia | 42 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 566 | 43.1% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 6 complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 904 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 904 | 68.8% |
| TV | 250 | 19.0% |
| Internet | 136 | 10.4% |
| Radio | 20 | 1.5% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
904 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 68.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 722 | 79.9% |
| Billing | 83 | 9.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 25 | 2.8% |
| Equipment | 22 | 2.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 16 | 1.8% |
| Privacy | 13 | 1.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 9 | 1.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.1% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.1% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 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. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
TV complaints
250 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Indecency | 123 | 49.2% |
| Billing | 75 | 30.0% |
| Availability | 28 | 11.2% |
| Equipment | 8 | 3.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 2.8% |
| Interference | 5 | 2.0% |
| Privacy | 3 | 1.2% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.4% |
Indecency and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
136 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 37 | 27.2% |
| Billing | 36 | 26.5% |
| Availability | 24 | 17.6% |
| Speed | 21 | 15.4% |
| Equipment | 9 | 6.6% |
| Interference | 6 | 4.4% |
| Privacy | 3 | 2.2% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Open Internet/Net Neutrality, Billing and Availability.
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.