FCC Consumer Complaints – 25 January 2017
Introduction
On Wednesday, 25 January 2017, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1206 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 1232 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 598 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1206
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (598)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (122)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1206 complaints were recorded on 25 January 2017, with reports originating from 759 cities in 50 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. At the city level, a significant concentration was observed in Nebraska, where Omaha accounted for 43 of the 66 complaints recorded.
The table below shows the distribution of complaints by state and territory for this date, highlighting the locations with the highest number of reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 122 | 10.1% |
| Florida | 91 | 7.5% |
| Texas | 77 | 6.4% |
| Nebraska | 66 | 5.5% |
| New York | 57 | 4.7% |
| Illinois | 50 | 4.1% |
| New Jersey | 48 | 4.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 43 | 3.6% |
| Georgia | 37 | 3.1% |
| Ohio | 37 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 578 | 47.9% |
Location highlight
Complaints in Nebraska were heavily concentrated in Omaha, which accounted for the majority of reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 817 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 817 | 67.7% |
| Internet | 266 | 22.1% |
| TV | 94 | 7.8% |
| Radio | 24 | 2.0% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
817 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 67.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 598 | 73.2% |
| Billing | 101 | 12.4% |
| Equipment | 25 | 3.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 23 | 2.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 20 | 2.4% |
| Privacy | 15 | 1.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 13 | 1.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 7 | 0.9% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 7 | 0.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 6 | 0.7% |
| Rural Call Completion | 2 | 0.2% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
266 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 22.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 87 | 32.7% |
| Billing | 83 | 31.2% |
| Availability | 44 | 16.5% |
| Speed | 15 | 5.6% |
| Equipment | 13 | 4.9% |
| Interference | 13 | 4.9% |
| Privacy | 11 | 4.1% |
Open Internet/Net Neutrality and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
94 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 64 | 68.1% |
| Availability | 22 | 23.4% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.3% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 1 | 1.1% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 598 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 49.6% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact numbers are shown below where sufficient data is available.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (256) 542-0702 | 5 | 0.8% |
| (602) 268-9831 | 5 | 0.8% |
| (313) 749-3118 | 4 | 0.7% |
| (201) 285-1836 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (256) 542-0719 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (323) 433-5362 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (651) 464-6704 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (206) 629-9228 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (210) 899-0246 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (239) 541-6800 | 2 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- Reports were spread across many different business contact numbers, with no single number dominating.
- Several caller ID numbers were reported multiple times, with no single number clearly ahead of the others.
The information presented on this page is based on consumer complaint data submitted to regulatory authorities. References to telephone numbers reflect reports made by consumers and do not confirm ownership, authenticity, or that the number was genuinely associated with the call. Caller ID information may be inaccurate or subject to spoofing.
Complaint categories, dates and complainant locations are based on the source records and may contain incomplete, approximate or user-entered information. Location details refer to the complainant’s reported location, not the location of the caller or telephone number. This content is provided for informational purposes only.