Latest News

FCC: Cable, Satellite Consumer Complaints Increased During 2010 Fourth Quarter

By Jeffrey Hill | August 18, 2011
[Satellite TODAY 08-18-11] The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) saw a 9 percent increase in filed complaints from cable and satellite subscribers during the fourth quarter of 2010, the commission confirmed Aug. 17.
   The FCC received 1,724 complaints about cable and satellite services during the fourth quarter of 2010, compared with 1,581 filed complaints during 2010’s third quarter. The FCC said that the most popular complaints were related to billing and rates, followed by complaints involving marketing and advertising, the transition to digital TV, over-the-air reception devices, video programming, matters related to the Satellite Home Viewer Act and quality of service issues.

   While complaints increased, the FCC said that the total number of inquiries it received about cable and satellite decreased by 26 percent during the 2010 fourth quarter to 1,911. The FCC defines a consumer “inquiry” as correspondence or communications related to a matter under its jurisdiction. A consumer “complaint” is defined as a fax, e-mail or phone call received from a consumer that identifies a particular satellite or cable entity.