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 NEWS  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  News  Media  Contact:  May  7,  2002  Rosemary  Kimball  at  (202)  418-  0511 
 e-  mail:  rkimball@  fcc.  gov 
 FCC  CONSUMER  AND  GOVERNMENTAL  AFFAIRS  BUREAU  RELEASES  QUARTERLY  REPORT  ON  COMPLAINTS  AND  INQUIRIES  PROCESSED 
 Data  Helps  Commission,  Companies  and  the  Public  Track  Trends 
 Washington,  DC  –  The  FCC’s  Consumer  and  Governmental  Affairs  Bureau  (CGB)  has  released  the  latest  quarterly  report  on  the  types  of  inquiries  and  complaints  the  Commission  has 
 received  from  the  public.  The  attached  report  is  a  tabulation  of  the  most  common  inquiries  and  informal  consumer  complaints  received  during  the  first  quarter  of  2002  on  broadcast,  cable, 
 wireless  and  wireline  telecommunications  issues. 
 Inquiries  are  defined  as  correspondence  or  communications  received  at  the  Commission  from  individuals  seeking  information  on  matters  under  the  FCC’s  jurisdiction.  Informal 
 consumer  complaints  are  defined  as  correspondence  or  communications  received  at  the  FCC  from  individuals  who  complain  about  alleged  violations  of  the  Communications  Act  or  FCC 
 rules  or  orders  by  entities  regulated  by  the  FCC. 
 The  statistics  show  that  billing  and  rates  complaints  continue  to  be  the  largest  category  of  consumer  complaints  for  both  wireless  and  wireline  carriers,  with  corresponding  high  numbers 
 of  consumer  inquiries  regarding  these  subjects. 
 As  with  previous  quarters,  relatively  few  cable-  related  and  broadcast-  related  complaints  were  filed  with  the  FCC  compared  with  wireline  and  wireless  filings.  With  respect  to  cable-related 
 complaints,  billing  and  rate  issues  were  by  far  the  largest  category.  Complaints  about  allegedly  indecent  radio  or  television  broadcasts  continued  to  be  the  most  common  broadcast-related 
 complaints.  Because  the  FCC  generally  has  limited  authority  over  cable  service  and  broadcast  programming  matters,  consumers  typically  direct  their  complaints  to  the  cable 
 companies,  the  local  franchising  authorities  or  individual  broadcast  stations. 
 With  respect  to  each  of  the  subject  areas,  these  data  indicate  the  volume  of  inquiries  and  complaints  received  at  the  FCC.  They  do  not  include  inquiries  and  complaints  made  to  local  and 
 state  agencies  and  the  companies  themselves.  In  addition,  the  FCC’s  policy  is  to  encourage  consumers  to  take  their  complaints  directly  to  the  companies  involved  before  filing  a  complaint 
 with  the  FCC. 
 Consumers  often  submit  complaints  about  matters  that  are  outside  the  FCC’s  jurisdiction  and  which  are  more  appropriately  filed  with  local  or  state  agencies.  In  addition,  the  FCC 
 receives  many  complaints  that  do  not  involve  violations  of  the  Communications  Act  or  a  FCC 
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 rule  or  order.  Therefore,  the  existence  of  a  complaint  does  not  necessarily  indicate  wrongdoing  by  the  company  involved. 
 The  FCC’s  rules  are  designed  to  make  it  easy  for  consumers  to  file  complaints  and  for  the  companies  to  move  expeditiously  to  satisfy  or  answer  complaints.  For  example,  the  rules 
 governing  accessibility  to  telecommunications  services  and  equipment  by  individuals  with  disabilities  permit  the  filing  of  informal  complaints  about  accessibility  problems  or  concerns  by 
 any  reasonable  means,  including  postal  mail,  the  telephone,  the  Internet,  fax  transmission  and  audio  or  video  cassette  recording.  Consumers  without  disabilities  similarly  have  the  option  of 
 using  regular  mail,  the  telephone,  or  the  Internet  to  lodge  inquiries  or  complaints.  Inquiries  and  complaints  are  accorded  the  same  treatment  irrespective  of  the  method  used  by  consumers  to  file 
 them  with  the  FCC.  In  some  instances,  the  staff  may  request  additional  information  or  documentation  that  may  be  needed  to  effectively  process  an  inquiry  or  complaint.  Information 
 about  the  Commission’s  complaint  processes  can  be  obtained  by  calling  CGB’s  Consumer  Center  toll-  free  at  1-  888-  CALL-  FCC  (TTY  users  may  call  1-  888-  TELL-  FCC)  or  by  visiting  the 
 Bureau’s  website  at  www.  fcc.  gov/  cgb 
 Attached  to  the  report  is  a  subject  reference  guide  that  defines  each  complaint  category. 
 -  FCC  – 
 Consumer  and  Governmental  Affairs  Bureau  contact:  Thomas  Wyatt  at  (202)  418-  1400. 
 For  more  information  about  this  or  any  other  FCC  matter  contact  the  FCC’s  Consumer  Center  at  1-  888-  CALL-  FCC  (1-  888-  225-  5322),  voice;  or  1-  888-  TELL-  FCC  (1-  888-  835-  5322), 
 TTY;  email  us  at  fccinfo@  fcc.  gov  or  visit  our  Web  site  at  www.  fcc.  gov/  cgb. 
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