FCC Consumer Complaints – 12 May 2017
Introduction
On 12 May 2017, 1027 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume fell from 1222 complaints the day before. Reports were received from 52 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 621 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1027
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (621)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (125)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1027 complaints were recorded on 12 May 2017, with reports originating from 721 cities in 52 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
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 | 12.2% |
| Florida | 86 | 8.4% |
| Texas | 71 | 6.9% |
| New York | 62 | 6.0% |
| New Jersey | 39 | 3.8% |
| Illinois | 35 | 3.4% |
| Ohio | 34 | 3.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 34 | 3.3% |
| Georgia | 33 | 3.2% |
| Virginia | 33 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 471 | 45.9% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 788 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 788 | 76.7% |
| TV | 114 | 11.1% |
| Internet | 106 | 10.3% |
| Radio | 16 | 1.6% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
788 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 76.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 621 | 78.8% |
| Billing | 76 | 9.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 20 | 2.5% |
| Equipment | 15 | 1.9% |
| Privacy | 15 | 1.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 12 | 1.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 11 | 1.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 1.3% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.3% |
| 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 Equipment.
TV complaints
114 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 50 | 43.9% |
| Indecency | 18 | 15.8% |
| Equipment | 15 | 13.2% |
| Availability | 13 | 11.4% |
| Loud Commercials | 11 | 9.6% |
| Interference | 4 | 3.5% |
| Privacy | 2 | 1.8% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.9% |
Billing accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
106 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 34 | 32.1% |
| Availability | 26 | 24.5% |
| Speed | 22 | 20.8% |
| Equipment | 7 | 6.6% |
| Interference | 6 | 5.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 6 | 5.7% |
| Privacy | 5 | 4.7% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability 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.