VictorB
09-15-2009, 05:25 PM
September 9th, 2009, 9:02 am ·
The number of complaints against cable and satellite TV service jumped 346 percent in the first three months this year compared to the same period last year, according to a report released by the Federal Communications Commission.
Cable/Sat complaints 1Q 2009
DTV transition 170 (n/a for 2008)
Service 344 up 95% in 2009 (from 195)
Marketing & Advertising 381 n/a
Billing & Rates 583 up 145% in 2009 (from 238)
Programming 2,635 up 593% in 2009 (from 380)
Total = 4,113 up 346% in 2009 (from 923)
While that may sound high, cable and satellite TV services received the fewest number of complaints compared to other telecom services tracked by the FCC. The agency tracks inquiries and complaints about TV, cable and satellite, wireless and wireline phone services.
During the first quarter 2009, it was TV service with the most complaints, at 188,588, up a whopping 548 percent from the fourth quarter. The FCC cited the nation’s switch to digital TV broadcasts first in February and then delayed till June, which caused confusion and a lot of headache even among consumers unaffected by the change.
In the same period, cable and satellite TV had 4,113 complaints, up 96 percent.
While the FCC compared first quarter figures with the fourth quarter of 2008, I pulled up last year’s first quarter as a comparison. Last year, the FCC registered 923 complaints about cable and satellite TV during the first quarter. This year, the number jumped to 4,113 complaints.
Either there really are more things to complain about when it comes to paid TV or consumers are finally noticing the FCC has a complaint button: http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm
The number of complaints against cable and satellite TV service jumped 346 percent in the first three months this year compared to the same period last year, according to a report released by the Federal Communications Commission.
Cable/Sat complaints 1Q 2009
DTV transition 170 (n/a for 2008)
Service 344 up 95% in 2009 (from 195)
Marketing & Advertising 381 n/a
Billing & Rates 583 up 145% in 2009 (from 238)
Programming 2,635 up 593% in 2009 (from 380)
Total = 4,113 up 346% in 2009 (from 923)
While that may sound high, cable and satellite TV services received the fewest number of complaints compared to other telecom services tracked by the FCC. The agency tracks inquiries and complaints about TV, cable and satellite, wireless and wireline phone services.
During the first quarter 2009, it was TV service with the most complaints, at 188,588, up a whopping 548 percent from the fourth quarter. The FCC cited the nation’s switch to digital TV broadcasts first in February and then delayed till June, which caused confusion and a lot of headache even among consumers unaffected by the change.
In the same period, cable and satellite TV had 4,113 complaints, up 96 percent.
While the FCC compared first quarter figures with the fourth quarter of 2008, I pulled up last year’s first quarter as a comparison. Last year, the FCC registered 923 complaints about cable and satellite TV during the first quarter. This year, the number jumped to 4,113 complaints.
Either there really are more things to complain about when it comes to paid TV or consumers are finally noticing the FCC has a complaint button: http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm