*Pages 1--13 from Microsoft Word - 22054.doc* NEWS 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). News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov TTY: 1- 888- 835- 5322 For Immediate Release: News Media Contact: October 15, 2002 Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418- 0511 e- mail: rkimball@ fcc. gov QUARTERLY REPORT ON INFORMAL CONSUMER INQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS RELEASED Washington, DC – The Commission has released the report on inquiries and complaints received by the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) during the second quarter of calendar year 2002. Composite complaint activity within the wireless and wireline telecommunications categories was relatively consistent with that of the prior quarter. The most noteworthy increase was in slamming, where complaints rose from 767 in the first quarter of 2002 to 1,001 during this quarter, an increase of 30.5%. On the other hand, wireline and wireless billing and rates complaints eased by 4.7% and 9.1%, respectively, during the second quarter. Wireline-- cramming (11.7%), wireline-- service quality (11.1%) and wireless-- service quality (13.5%) also declined. Complaint activity within the cable services and radio and television broadcasting categories combined was little more than two percent of wireless and wireline complaint activity during the second quarter. Wireline inquiries stepped up by 9.7%, with a sharp rise in slamming inquiries spearheading the increase. Wireless inquiries fell by 12.3%, largely due to sharp decreases in billing and rates, contract-early termination, and service quality inquiries. Radio and television broadcasting inquiries edged up by 3.8%, which is attributed to a 130.3% leap in Madalyn M. O’Hair religious broadcast rumor inquiries. Declines in inquiries about the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act and rate matters led to a 7.0% drop in cable inquiries overall. The Commission receives many informal complaints that do not involve violations of the Communications Act, or a rule or order of the Commission. The existence of a complaint does not necessarily indicate wrongdoing by the company at issue. The data within this report account for statistics at the national level as reported to the Commission and, therefore, are not necessarily indicative of corresponding state or local trends. Accessible formats (computer diskettes, large print, audio recording and Braille) are available to persons with disabilities by contacting Brian Millin, of the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, at (202) 418- 7426, TTY (202) 418- 7365, or at bmillin@ fcc. gov. CGB contact: Warren O’Hearn at (202) 418- 2230. - FCC - 1 REPORT ON INFORMAL CONSUMER INQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS 2 nd Quarter Calendar Year 2002 Executive Summary This report shows consumer inquiries and complaints processed by the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) during the second quarter of calendar year 2002. 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 a communication received at CGB’s consumer centers either via postal mail, fax, email or telephone from or on behalf of an individual that: (i) identifies a particular entity under the FCC’s jurisdiction; (ii) alleges harm or injury; and (iii) seeks relief. Composite complaint activity within the wireless and wireline telecommunications categories was relatively consistent with that of the prior quarter. The most noteworthy increase was in slamming, where complaints rose from 767 in quarter 1 to 1,001 during quarter 2, an increase of 30.5%. On the other hand, billing and rate- related complaints, although they continue to be the largest category of consumer complaints against both wireless and wireline telecommunications service providers, eased by 4.7% and 9.1%, respectively, during the second quarter. Complaints about wireline-- cramming (11.7%), wireline-- service quality (11.1%) and wireless-- service quality (13.5%) also declined. Complaint activity within the cable services and radio and television broadcasting categories combined was little more than 2 percent of wireless and wireline complaint activity during the second quarter. Complaints about allegedly indecent broadcast programming were the most frequent among these categories. Inquiries regarding wireline subjects stepped up by 9.7%, with a sharp rise in slamming inquiries spearheading the increase. Wireless inquiries fell by 12.3%, largely due to sharp decreases in billing and rates, contract- early termination, and service quality inquiries. Radio and television broadcasting inquiries edged up by 3.8%, which is attributed to a 130.3% leap in Madalyn M. O’Hair religious broadcast rumor inquiries. Declines in inquiries about the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act and rate matters led to a 7.0% drop in cable inquiries overall. The Commission receives many informal complaints that do not involve violations of the Communications Act, or a rule or order of the Commission. The existence of a complaint does not necessarily indicate wrongdoing by the company at issue. The data within this report account for statistics at the national level as reported to the Commission and, therefore, are not necessarily indicative of corresponding state or local trends. 2 April May June Quarter Total 473 442 349 1,264 211 154 165 530 160 154 131 445 310 276 247 833 488 471 420 1,379 1,642 1,497 1,312 4,451 April May June Quarter Total 264 297 268 829 217 267 241 725 218 266 247 731 33 66 53 152 506 452 437 1,395 1,238 1,348 1,246 3,832 April May June Quarter Total 897 825 975 2,697 56 61 68 185 100 125 145 370 12 14 15 41 48 48 51 147 76 60 73 209 1,189 1,133 1,327 3,649 April May June Quarter Total 3,379 3,054 2,658 9,091 163 147 165 475 5,062 4,749 4,403 14,214 96 82 328 506 10,311 10,928 9,880 31,119 2,103 2,575 2,316 6,994 21,114 21,535 19,750 62,399 not necessarily indicative of corresponding state or local trends. The data within this report account for statistics at the national level as reported to the Commission, and therefore are Telephone Consumer Protection Act Totals NOTES: * An inquiry is defined as a correspondence received at CGB's consumer centers either via letter, fax, email or telephone from individuals seeking information on matters under the FCC's jurisdiction. Cramming Equipment General Broadcast Information How to Start Broadcast Station Low Power Broadcast Information Madalyn M. O'Hair Religious Broadcast Rumor Wireless Telecommunications Billing & Rates Carrier Marketing Contract - Early Termination Slamming Service Quality Totals Wireline Telecommunications Billing & Rates Carrier Marketing & Advertising Cramming Service Quality Totals Cable Services Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act Totals Service- Related Issues Radio & Television Broadcasting Over the Air Reception Device Issues Programming Issues Rates Processed by the FCC's Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) Summary of Top Consumer Inquiry* Subjects Second Quarter - Calendar Year 2002 General Programming & Content 3 April May June Quarter Total 0 1 2 3 1 3 3 7 9 5 4 18 2 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 12 10 9 31 April May June Quarter Total 2 4 5 11 0 1 1 2 46 47 48 141 0 15 0 15 1 1 0 2 49 68 54 171 April May June Quarter Total 592 588 502 1,682 101 117 119 337 112 121 85 318 7 26 16 49 41 41 24 106 88 106 119 313 941 999 865 2,805 April May June Quarter Total 1,028 1,143 1,022 3,193 225 250 225 700 177 196 170 543 114 134 111 359 327 111 563 1001 448 444 493 1,385 2,319 2,278 2,584 7,181 NOTES: (1) See attachment for brief description of subject categories. not necessarily indicative of corresponding state or local trends. The data within this report account for statistics at the national level as reported to the Commission, and therefore are Programming -Indecency/ Obscenity** Programming - General Criticism Summary of Top Consumer Complaint* Subjects Processed by the FCC's Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) Second Quarter - Calendar Year 2002 Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act Totals Disability Issues Billing & Rates Totals Cable Services Billing & Rates Disability Issues Other Programming Issues Programming - Religious Radio & Television Broadcasting Wireless Telecommunications Over the Air Reception Device Wireline Telecommunications Carrier Marketing & Advertising Service Quality Equipment Totals Cramming Contract - Early Termination Bureau (EB) for appropriate handling. The numbers reported in this category include complaints forwarded to EB as well ** Complaints regarding alleged indecency/ obscenity during specific broadcasts are forwarded to the Enforcement Totals Cramming Service Quality Slamming Telephone Consumer Protection Act emails as one consolidated complaint which is included in the 133 complaints mentioned above. Connections to Cable TV System During this period, EB received 12,000+ emails regarding one specific program. For purposes of its review, EB treated these Billing & Rates Carrier Marketing & Advertising as complaints received separately by EB. Of the 141 complaints, 133 were referred to or received by the Enforcement Bureau. * A complaint is defined as a communication received at CGB's consumer centers either via letter, fax, email or telephone from or on behalf of an individual that: (i) identifies a particular entity under the FCC's jurisdiction; (ii) alleges harm or injury; and (iii) seeks relief. The FCC receives many complaints that do not involve violations of the Communications Act or a FCC rule or order. The existence of a complaint does not necessarily indicate wrongdoing by the company involved. 4 5 Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Top Radio & Television Broadcasting Consumer Complaints Second Quarter - Calendar Year 2002 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 N u m b e r o f C o m p l a i n t s Disability Issues 2 45 Programming - General Criticism 0 11 Programming -Indecency/ Obscenity** 46 47 48 Programming - Religious 0 150 Other Programming Issues 1 10 April May June 6 Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Top Cable Service Consumer Complaints Second Quarter - Calendar Year 2002 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 N u m b e r o f C o m p l a i n t s Billing & Rates 0 1 2 Connections to Cable TV System 1 3 3 Disability Issues 9 5 4 Over the Air Reception Device 2 0 0 Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act 0 1 0 April May June 7 Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Top Wireless Telecommunications Consumer Complaints Second Quarter - Calendar Year 2002 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 N u m b e r o f C o m p l a i n t s Billing & Rates 592 588 502 Carrier Marketing & Advertising 101 117 119 Contract - Early Termination 112 121 85 Cramming 7 2616 Equipment 41 41 24 Service Quality 88 106 119 April May June 8 Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Top Wireline Telecommunications Consumer Complaints Second Quarter - Calendar Year 2002 0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 N u m b e r o f C o m p l a i n t s Billing & Rates 1,028 1, 143 1,022 Carrier Marketing & Advertising 225 250 225 Cramming 177 196 170 Service Quality 114 134 111 Slamming 327 111 563 Telephone Consumer Protection Act 448 444 493 April May June 9 Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Top Radio & Television Broadcasting Inquiries Second Quarter - Calendar Year 2002 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 N u m b e r o f I n q u i r i e s General Broadcast Information 264 297 268 How to Start Broadcast Station 217 267 241 Low Power Broadcast Information 218 266 247 Madalyn M. O'Hair Religious Broadcast Rumor 33 66 53 General Programming & Content 506 452 437 April May June 10 Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Top Cable Service Consumer Inquiries Second Quarter - Calendar Year 2002 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 N u m b e r o f I n q u i r i e s Over the Air Reception Device Issues 473 442 349 Programming Issues 211 154 165 Rates 160 154 131 Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act 310 276 247 Service- Related Issues 488 471 420 April May June 11 Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Top Wireless Telecommunications Consumer Inquiries Second Quarter - Calendar Year 2002 0 150 300 450 600 750 900 1,050 1,200 N u m b e r o f I n q u i r i e s Billing & Rates 897 1, 091 877 Carrier Marketing ** 56 7 0 Contract - Early Termination ** 100 8 0 Cramming ** 12 1 0 Equipment ** 48 8 0 Service Quality 76 111 73 April May June 12 Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Top WirelineTelecommunications Consumer Inquiries Second Quarter - Calendar Year 2002 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10, 000 12, 000 N u m b e r o f I n q u i r i e s Billing & Rates 3,379 3, 054 2,658 Carrier Marketing & Advertising 163 147 165 Cramming 5,062 4, 749 4,403 Service Quality 96 82 328 Slamming 10,311 10, 928 9,880 Telephone Consumer Protection Act 2,103 2, 575 2,316 April May June 13