Lanterna Rally

Author: United States Government Accountability Office

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2017-09-08

Total Pages: 72

ISBN-13: 9781976194610

Americans increasingly rely on wireless phones, with 35 percent of households now primarily or solely using them. Under federal law, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for fostering a competitive wireless marketplace while ensuring that consumers are protected from harm. States also have authority to oversee some aspects of service. As requested, this report discusses consumers' satisfaction and problems with wireless phone service and FCC's and state utility commissions' efforts to oversee this service. To conduct this work, GAO surveyed 1,143 adult wireless phone users from a nationally representative, randomly selected sample; surveyed all state utility commissions; and interviewed and analyzed documents obtained from FCC and stakeholders representing consumers, state agencies and officials, and the industry. To improve wireless phone service oversight, FCC should improve its outreach to consumers about its complaint process, related performance goals and measures, and monitoring of complaints. To improve coordination with states in providing oversight, FCC should develop guidance on federal and