FCC Consumer Complaints – 14 July 2017
Introduction
On Friday, 14 July 2017, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1070 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 1225 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 47 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 707 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1070
- States & territories reporting
- 47
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (707)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (141)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1070 complaints were recorded on 14 July 2017, with reports originating from 722 cities in 47 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. At the city level, a significant concentration was observed in Kentucky, where Frankfort accounted for 20 of the 31 complaints recorded.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 141 | 13.2% |
| Florida | 78 | 7.3% |
| New York | 78 | 7.3% |
| Texas | 64 | 6.0% |
| Ohio | 49 | 4.6% |
| Illinois | 38 | 3.6% |
| Arizona | 35 | 3.3% |
| North Carolina | 34 | 3.2% |
| Virginia | 34 | 3.2% |
| Georgia | 33 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 485 | 45.3% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in Kentucky originated from Frankfort, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 4 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 874 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 874 | 81.7% |
| TV | 100 | 9.3% |
| Internet | 86 | 8.0% |
| Radio | 10 | 0.9% |
Phone complaints
874 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 81.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 707 | 80.9% |
| Billing | 65 | 7.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 26 | 3.0% |
| Equipment | 25 | 2.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 15 | 1.7% |
| Privacy | 15 | 1.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 8 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 6 | 0.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.1% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided 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
100 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 51 | 51.0% |
| Availability | 14 | 14.0% |
| Equipment | 11 | 11.0% |
| Indecency | 11 | 11.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 8.0% |
| Privacy | 3 | 3.0% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.0% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
86 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 27 | 31.4% |
| Speed | 22 | 25.6% |
| Availability | 15 | 17.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 10 | 11.6% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.8% |
| Interference | 5 | 5.8% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.3% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Speed and Availability among the most common.
Unwanted calls
There were 707 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 66.1% 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 business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (555) 555-5555 | 5 | 0.7% |
| (609) 389-9628 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (855) 294-1101 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (888) 431-2901 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (201) 331-3132 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (202) 241-2806 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (202) 384-6788 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (209) 206-9771 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (302) 317-6408 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (518) 730-0655 | 2 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (555) 555-5555 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- Reports were spread across many different caller ID numbers, with no single number dominating.
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.