FCC Consumer Complaints – 27 August 2017
Introduction
On 27 August 2017, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 344 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented a decline from the 548 complaints recorded the previous day. Reports were received from 44 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 142 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 344
- States & territories reporting
- 44
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (142)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (36)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 344 complaints were recorded on 27 August 2017, with reports originating from 255 cities in 44 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. 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 | 36 | 10.5% |
| Ohio | 29 | 8.4% |
| Florida | 27 | 7.8% |
| Texas | 23 | 6.7% |
| Hawaii | 19 | 5.5% |
| Virginia | 17 | 4.9% |
| New York | 16 | 4.7% |
| Illinois | 14 | 4.1% |
| Kentucky | 13 | 3.8% |
| Maine | 11 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 139 | 40.4% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 195 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 195 | 56.7% |
| TV | 80 | 23.3% |
| Internet | 48 | 14.0% |
| Radio | 14 | 4.1% |
| Emergency | 4 | 1.2% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.9% |
Phone complaints
195 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 56.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 142 | 72.8% |
| Billing | 23 | 11.8% |
| Equipment | 6 | 3.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 6 | 3.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 5 | 2.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 2.1% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 1.5% |
| Privacy | 3 | 1.5% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 1.0% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.5% |
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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers).
TV complaints
80 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 23.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 31 | 38.8% |
| Billing | 23 | 28.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 9 | 11.3% |
| Equipment | 7 | 8.8% |
| Interference | 5 | 6.3% |
| Indecency | 4 | 5.0% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.3% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
48 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 13 | 27.1% |
| Availability | 12 | 25.0% |
| Interference | 8 | 16.7% |
| Speed | 7 | 14.6% |
| Privacy | 5 | 10.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 4.2% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2.1% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Interference.
Unwanted calls
There were 142 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 41.3% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (614) 398-4078 | 18 | 12.7% |
| (833) 217-3824 | 6 | 4.2% |
| (323) 876-7114 | 3 | 2.1% |
| (646) 689-8603 | 2 | 1.4% |
| (855) 792-7928 | 2 | 1.4% |
| (201) 936-8696 | 1 | 0.7% |
| (207) 883-8339 | 1 | 0.7% |
| (209) 895-1895 | 1 | 0.7% |
| (213) 861-3250 | 1 | 0.7% |
| (216) 678-9140 | 1 | 0.7% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (614) 398-4078 | 12 | 8.5% |
| (833) 217-3824 | 8 | 5.6% |
| (201) 936-8696 | 1 | 0.7% |
| (213) 861-3250 | 1 | 0.7% |
| (214) 451-3192 | 1 | 0.7% |
| (216) 678-9140 | 1 | 0.7% |
| (218) 480-2142 | 1 | 0.7% |
| (224) 733-9320 | 1 | 0.7% |
| (226) 233-1532 | 1 | 0.7% |
| (260) 235-6932 | 1 | 0.7% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (614) 398-4078 stood out as both the most frequently reported business contact number and the most frequently reported caller ID number.
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.