FCC Consumer Complaints – 1 June 2017

Introduction

On 1 June 2017, 1221 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume fell from 1256 complaints the previous day. Complaints were reported across 51 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 800 complaints recorded.

Key statistics

Total complaints
1221
States & territories reporting
51
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (800)
Most reported state/territory
California (125)

Where the complaints came from

Across 788 cities in 51 states and territories, a total of 1221 complaints were recorded on 1 June 2017. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.

The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.

State/Territory Complaints
California 125 10.2%
Texas 115 9.4%
Florida 83 6.8%
Illinois 57 4.7%
New York 57 4.7%
Georgia 50 4.1%
Pennsylvania 46 3.8%
Maryland 39 3.2%
North Carolina 39 3.2%
Washington 38 3.1%
Other states and territories 568 46.5%

What the complaints were about

The complaints recorded on this date fell into 5 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 1007 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 1007 82.5%
TV 107 8.8%
Internet 92 7.5%
Radio 11 0.9%
Emergency 4 0.3%

Phone complaints

1007 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 82.5% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 800 79.4%
Billing 82 8.1%
Availability (including rural call completion) 30 3.0%
Equipment 30 3.0%
Privacy 23 2.3%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 13 1.3%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 13 1.3%
Junk Faxes 10 1.0%
Interference (including signal jammers) 5 0.5%
Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) 1 0.1%

Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment among the most common.

TV complaints

107 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.8% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 48 44.9%
Availability 19 17.8%
Indecency 16 15.0%
Loud Commercials 10 9.3%
Equipment 7 6.5%
Interference 7 6.5%

Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.

Internet complaints

92 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.5% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 32 34.8%
Availability 19 20.7%
Open Internet/Net Neutrality 10 10.9%
Equipment 9 9.8%
Speed 9 9.8%
Interference 8 8.7%
Privacy 5 5.4%

A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Open Internet/Net Neutrality among the most common.

Unwanted calls

A total of 800 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 65.5% 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
(401) 466-6082 5 0.6%
(619) 369-4420 3 0.4%
(800) 945-2000 3 0.4%
(816) 281-3733 3 0.4%
(908) 372-0947 3 0.4%
(217) 403-9021 2 0.3%
(225) 217-3723 2 0.3%
(310) 494-2474 2 0.3%
(323) 503-1913 2 0.3%
(401) 283-0726 2 0.3%

Key patterns

  • Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
  • (401) 466-6082 was reported slightly more often than other caller ID numbers.
Page last updated: 10 December 2018 with FCC complaints data from 1 June 2017.

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.