FCC Consumer Complaints – March 2017
Introduction
In March 2017, 28324 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented an increase from the 24401 complaints recorded the previous month. The complaints came from 55 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 15537 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 28324
- Days with complaint data
- 31
- Days with complaints
- 31
- States & territories reporting
- 55
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (15537)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (3550)
Daily complaint activity
The month averaged 913.7 complaints per day. The highest daily count was 1648 complaints on 28 March 2017, with 21 days recording more complaints than the monthly daily average. The lowest daily total was 265 complaints on 12 March 2017, well below the monthly average.
Each bar represents one day of the month. Taller bars indicate more complaints.
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded in March 2017 show 28324 complaints originating from 6160 cities across 55 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. A notable concentration at the city level was observed in District of Columbia, where Washington accounted for 135 of the 179 complaints recorded in the state.
The table below shows the distribution of complaints by state and territory for this month, highlighting the locations with the highest number of reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| California | 3550 | 12.5% |
| Florida | 2151 | 7.6% |
| Texas | 1914 | 6.8% |
| New York | 1649 | 5.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 1268 | 4.5% |
| Maryland | 1121 | 4.0% |
| Illinois | 1054 | 3.7% |
| Ohio | 1023 | 3.6% |
| Georgia | 897 | 3.2% |
| New Jersey | 895 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 12735 | 45.0% |
Location highlights
- Complaints in District of Columbia were heavily concentrated in Washington, which accounted for the majority of reports within the state.
- California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 630 different cities.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded during the month related to 7 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 20658 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 20658 | 72.9% |
| Internet | 3694 | 13.0% |
| TV | 3142 | 11.1% |
| Radio | 710 | 2.5% |
| Accessibility | 54 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 50 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 16 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
20658 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 72.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 15537 | 75.2% |
| Billing | 2255 | 10.9% |
| Equipment | 722 | 3.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 626 | 3.0% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 372 | 1.8% |
| Privacy | 312 | 1.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 296 | 1.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 265 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 128 | 0.6% |
| Rural Call Completion | 55 | 0.3% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 47 | 0.2% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 38 | 0.2% |
As is typical for this category, unwanted calls accounted for the largest share of complaints. A more detailed analysis of these reports is provided in the section below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
3694 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 13.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 1359 | 36.8% |
| Availability | 724 | 19.6% |
| Speed | 647 | 17.5% |
| Interference | 260 | 7.0% |
| Privacy | 249 | 6.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 233 | 6.3% |
| Equipment | 221 | 6.0% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
TV complaints
3142 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 11.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 1678 | 53.4% |
| Availability | 600 | 19.1% |
| Equipment | 273 | 8.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 246 | 7.8% |
| Indecency | 186 | 5.9% |
| Interference | 100 | 3.2% |
| Privacy | 47 | 1.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 12 | 0.4% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Radio complaints
710 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 2.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 500 | 70.4% |
| Indecency | 70 | 9.9% |
| Pirate Radio | 58 | 8.2% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 34 | 4.8% |
| Availability | 21 | 3.0% |
| Billing | 14 | 2.0% |
| Equipment | 13 | 1.8% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Interference and Indecency, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Accessibility complaints
54 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 0.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Closed Captioning on TV | 19 | 35.2% |
| Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) | 16 | 29.6% |
| Closed Captioning over the Internet | 11 | 20.4% |
| Emergency Information on TV | 3 | 5.6% |
| Hearing Aid Compatibility of Wireless Phones | 2 | 3.7% |
| Video Description | 1 | 1.9% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Closed Captioning on TV and Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS), with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Emergency complaints
50 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 0.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 20 | 40.0% |
| Interference | 12 | 24.0% |
| Phone | 9 | 18.0% |
| Tower | 9 | 18.0% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Other and Interference, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Unwanted calls
There were 15537 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 54.9% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact number details are listed below where there is enough concentration to make the data meaningful.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (800) 255-1412 | 46 | 0.3% |
| (317) 491-6397 | 39 | 0.3% |
| (443) 386-3643 | 31 | 0.2% |
| (858) 900-3090 | 28 | 0.2% |
| (800) 847-5103 | 25 | 0.2% |
| (203) 983-5988 | 24 | 0.2% |
| (203) 549-6699 | 19 | 0.1% |
| (209) 674-7036 | 18 | 0.1% |
| (202) 750-5883 | 16 | 0.1% |
| (201) 354-1385 | 15 | 0.1% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (800) 847-5103 | 24 | 0.2% |
| (844) 819-8486 | 14 | 0.1% |
| (346) 208-1112 | 13 | 0.1% |
| (305) 501-2223 | 11 | 0.1% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 10 | 0.1% |
| (800) 255-1412 | 10 | 0.1% |
| (800) 667-6915 | 10 | 0.1% |
| (844) 840-3093 | 10 | 0.1% |
| (866) 386-7014 | 10 | 0.1% |
| (888) 240-0182 | 10 | 0.1% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (800) 847-5103 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- (800) 255-1412 was reported slightly more often than other caller ID numbers.
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.